


Reconciliations

by Neuropsyche



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Civil War happened but has since been resolved and the Avengers are together, Eventual Happy Ending, Guilt, M/M, No Endgame, No Infinity War, Oral Sex, Peter does, Starker, Tony Stark is Ironman, peter has powers, pizza doesnt get eaten, somewhat of a slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:20:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 39,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21788167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuropsyche/pseuds/Neuropsyche
Summary: It's been five years since Tony took the suit from Peter. He never returns it, and Peter never heard from him, again. But now Peter has tech that will put him right back in Tony's sights - whether he wants to be there or not
Relationships: Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Comments: 216
Kudos: 828





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Finished

“This is exciting…”

Peter Parker smiled at the woman walking beside him, trying to hide his own misgivings to keep from worrying her. He looked around the ritzy lobby of Stark Tower and the people bustling around them with just a little unease. Not that it mattered, though; anyone who might have once known him from back in his high school days would never recognize him, now, he was sure.

“Yes.”

“I _really_ want this merger. Can you imagine having the financial and tech backing of Tony Stark?”

He bit back an automatic retort to that, and nodded, again. His boss was much older than he was, but he really liked her. She was kind, and generous and was a brilliant businesswoman as well as a tech genius in her own right.

Not _Tony Stark_ genius, of course, but very few people were a match for him. Peter knew that the hard way.

“They do a lot of amazing things,” he agreed.

They reached the receptionist desk and were checked in, given temporary security badges and then directed to the conference room on the 27th floor. Peter led the way to the elevator, not needing the guidance of the man behind the desk to find it.

The conference room was already being set up by a couple of interns; two men about Peter’s own age of twenty. They greeted the two newcomers cheerfully, and directed them to sit wherever they felt most comfortable, handing out a welcome pack to Peter’s boss.

Ria Yarkle was a vibrant woman. Mocha colored skin, dark eyes that were beautiful now and must have been every man’s dream when she was younger, and a slim body that radiated a barely controlled vitality that even someone enhanced like Peter had trouble keeping up with. She had met him his senior year of high school, when he’d been reeling from the loss of his previous mentor and had been as low as he could ever remember being and looking for something positive to focus on. A counselor at school had been quick to see Peter struggling – even though the boy hadn’t told anyone why he was having so much trouble, suddenly – and had introduced him to a new mentor from a small up and coming tech start up.

They’d been a good fit, and the woman had proven to be exactly what Peter had needed. She helped him get his shit together (as she called it) helped him talk May into allowing him to graduate early since he had all the credits that he needed and then some. Then she had helped him fill out his college applications and the mountain of forms needed for scholarships – as well as proving to be an insightful and valued resource for figuring out how to get four years of education without accruing any student debts. Unheard of, really, and a huge relief to a guy that was now on his own.

True, it wasn’t _MIT_ , but two years of community college and then two at NY State was respectable, and Peter had made it through – and had found a full time job with Ria’s little company waiting for him the moment he put on his cap and gown and walked across the stage to her excited applause. He’d been working part-time through his college years, helping her with the trickier concepts and loving the way she made him feel as they worked together.

He was part of a team. It was exciting, and so satisfying, and despite the increasing workload of schoolwork, Peter had spent a lot of overtime hours helping her develop the tech that her company was on the cusp of perfecting. Nanotech that Peter knew Stark Industries would kill to get their hands on – presuming Tony hadn’t already figured it out on his own.

When Ria had sent out initial feelers, just to assess what – if _any_ – interest there was, she’d received an instant invitation to come to the tower to pursue further communications about the possibility of a partnership, or a merger. Not a complete _takeover_ , however. It was Ria’s company and she intended to keep control of it.

And now, here they were. Sitting in a conference room, sipping sparking water and waiting to talk about the possible merger. Peter was a little nervous about being there, only because he really didn’t care to see Tony Stark ever again. But he was fairly certain that Ria’s little company wasn’t going to garner the billionaire’s full attention. He’d almost certainly send his underlings to deal with her, initially, and then only make an appearance if his charm and negotiating skills were needed.

Sure enough, they had only been waiting a full minute when a red-headed woman who looked somewhat familiar to Peter walked into the room with a couple of others. Both were men, and neither was Tony Stark. She smiled and introduced herself as Pepper Potts, shook hands with Ria and Peter, and then introduced them to the men – who turned out to be tech advisors. People who were clearly there to judge the value of the tech Ria’s company was working on, or the business model that Peter’s boss had already presented.

By the time the short meeting was over, Pepper Potts was smiling, the tech guys were practically drooling, and Peter was fairly certain that the merger was a done deal – if they could agree on terms.

“I’d like you to come back,” Pepper said, walking them to the elevator. “I want you to talk to Tony, directly, and explain what you’re working on to him – since I happen to know he’s been looking for someone who understands the concept of nanotechnology as thoroughly as he does.”

“That’s mostly on Peter, here,” Ria said, smiling at the compliment. “It’s my concept, but he’s been doing all the scut labor for me for the last few years.”

Pepper looked at the young man, who blushed at the compliment. Her expression changed for just a moment, as if she was trying to figure out a puzzle, but her smile never faded.

“ _You’ll_ have to come back, also, then Peter,” she said. “This technology is really incredible. Tony will really be impressed.”

Peter nodded.

“Thank you.”

He wouldn’t, though, if he could avoid it.

<><><><><>

Ria was looking pleased when they got into the elevator. She hugged Peter, who smiled, glad to see her so happy.

“You were perfect,” she told her young protégé. “Just the right mix of brilliant and adorable. They were eating you up.”

Peter chuckled at that.

“I wasn’t trying to be either of those things,” he admitted. “I was _nervous_.”

She knew that Peter had some kind of history with Tony Stark. Something that he didn’t want to talk about and that she liked him too much to press – even years into their relationship. Not something _sexual_ in nature, she was sure, because she didn’t see any signs of that when she’d brought the man up the first time – probably just as well since Peter had been 16 at the time she’d brought it up, and that meant 15 when he’d been involved with Stark.

The boy had graduated at 16, and she’d spent a lot of time with him, since, enjoying the privilege of watching such a bright boy mature into a brilliant (and far too modest) genius.

“You hid it well,” she assured him. “I was nervous, too.”

Which made Peter smile, again, for a moment.

“You shouldn’t have said that about me doing all the work… you did it. I just helped a little.”

“Helped a _lot_.” She rested a hand on his shoulder, companionably. “Let’s go get some dinner. I’ll buy.”

“ _Oooo_ …” he grinned. “An offer I can’t refuse.”

“Better not,” she told him. “I intend to have several cocktails to celebrate our success, today, and I need a designated driver.”


	2. 2

Tony Stark looked up from the tablet that he was studying when pepper walked into his office – without knocking.

“You missed the meeting.”

He looked surprised, and she wasn’t completely sure if he was faking it, or not – and she was pretty good at reading him, most times.

“We had a meeting?”

“The Nanotech company?”

“That was today?”

“It was twenty minutes ago,” she told him not bothering to get annoyed. “And it was pretty interesting. Ria Yarkle is sitting on a goldmine.”

“ _Really_?” Now he looked interested. “The tech checks out?”

“According to Manning and Hurr, it seems to.”

“I want to meet her.”

“You just missed her. _And_ her young assistant.”

“The brains behind the business?” he asked.

“No. She’s intelligent. But I get the feeling that _he_ is, also. I asked them back.”

“When?”

“I thought I’d let _you_ decide,” Pepper told him. “That way you’ll actually _show_ _up_.”

“I’m free tomorrow. Too _soon_? Should we look less eager?”

“Other tech companies would love to have Yarkle Enterprises under their roofs. I know Justin Hammer is trying to get an appointment with her.”

“Tomorrow.”

“You’ll be there?”

“Absolutely.”

She nodded.

“I’ll set it up for lunchtime. We’ll take them someplace fancy and wine and dine them.”

“Great.”

>><><><><

“This place is _fancy_ …”

Peter had to agree, looking around as they walked into the restaurant.

“Get used to it, boss lady,” he told her, using bravado to try and hide his uncertainty. He hadn’t seen Tony Stark in over five years, and wondered if the man would even _remember_ him, much less recognize him. More importantly, though – to _him_ , anyway – was if Mr. Stark _did_ recognize him, would he be angry, still? Would that anger carry over to anger at Ria? He didn’t want his mistakes of the past to screw her chances at the merger. “How’s the head?”

She rolled her eyes.

“Did I fall down last night?”

“Not that I saw,” Peter replied, amused.

“I _must_ have, because it’s pounding.”

“I tried to stop you from having that last drink…”

Now it was Ria’s turn to scowl.

“I do _not_ need to hear _I told you so_ this morning, Peter Parker.”

He smiled at that, feeling a little more relaxed – which had almost certainly been her intention.

“I’m just saying…”

Ria smiled, her hand on Peter’s arm, fondly, as they walked up to the desk where the maître d was standing overseeing the waitstaff and hostesses.

She barely told the man her name when he smiled, and immediately bowed, politely.

“Mr. Stark and his party are waiting. Please, follow me.”

They followed the man to a small, private room, where three people were waiting. Peter held back, allowing Ria to be introduced, first, and then while she simply introduced him to the others (again) as her assistant, Peter. He smiled a greeting to Pepper, shook hands with the man that had been in the meeting the day before and then found himself face to face with Tony Stark for the first time since that afternoon on the rooftop so many years ago.

The billionaire gave him a polite smile as he offered him his hand, automatically.

“Peter. A pleasure.”

“Mr. Stark.”

He sat down beside Ria, who sat across from Pepper and Mr. Stark, with their tech advisor to the right. A waiter came by, immediately, looking at Ria and peter.

“Drinks?”

Ria ordered a martini, but Peter simply shook his head.

“I’ll have a cola. Thank you.”

Pepper and Ria started talking; continuing the conversation that they’d been having the day before, feeling each other out and getting to know one another. Ria made an effort to include Peter, but while he was polite, he only spoke when someone spoke to him, very much aware of the fact that Stark was looking over at him, frequently, his expression faintly confused.

Unaware of that scrutiny, Pepper turned her attention to Peter.

“Are you from here, Peter?” she asked, politely, trying to draw him out.

“I’m from Queens,” Peter replied. He glanced over toward Stark, and saw the recognition dawn in the man’s eyes, but before Tony could say anything, Peter turned back to Pepper. “Born and raised.”

That turned the conversation to the various parts of the city, and crime rates, social variants and all the things that people tended to talk about when they were still learning about each other. Stark was mostly quiet, although he was quick with a comment or a smile when he was addressed by one of the women. Any time Peter happened to look his way, he saw that the billionaire was looking at him.

When their lunch came, the talk at the table turned to the tech that Ria’s company was developing, and the billionaire’s attention was drawn back to the conversation. Tony asked the woman several pointed questions, which she answered easily – proving that she definitely understood the technology that her company was creating. She’d occasionally turn to Peter for clarification of something that he’d assisted with, and the young man would answer, almost diffidently, before turning back to his meal.

The meeting lasted long after the last plate had been cleared from the table. Pepper smiled, much more relaxed with Ria, now – and far less formal.

“I think we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with once we get this merger finalized. Tony?”

Stark nodded his agreement.

“Definitely. Your company will save me years’ worth of research.” He gave her his best smile. “I might even use it in the new Ironman suit I’ve started developing – if we can come to a deal on the usage rights.”

He wasn’t going to work on a suit that he couldn’t legally use, after all.

Ria looked suitably impressed, looking over at Peter to see his reaction.

“That would be exciting.”

Peter nodded.

“Yes.”

“Maybe I could borrow your assistant here to help me with that project?” Tony suggested. “Since he seems to have the tech down so solidly.”

Ria looked surprised that Peter didn’t show as much enthusiasm at the idea as she’d expected him to. She smiled, though.

“What do you think, Peter?”

“I’m probably not qualified,” the young man said, politely.

“I think you’re underestimating yourself,” Stark told him, searching Peter’s expression. “Maybe we can meet for a little while when we’re done here? Allow me a chance to change your mind…”

Peter looked over at Ria, again deciding that it would be better to not get Mr. Stark annoyed and maybe lose the merger that his boss had worked so hard for. He nodded.

“You can try.”

Tony smiled at that, but Peter looked away, turning to talk to the Stark Industries tech guy, briefly, before Pepper announced that she was going to head back to the office and finish her day.

“I’m off, too,” Ria announced as they all stood. She smiled at her protégé, clearly pleased with the results of the meeting. “I can get half a day of work in if I go, now. But I can wait until you’re finished talking to Tony, here, so you aren’t stranded…”

“I’ll drive Peter home,” Tony offered.

“Peter?” Ria wasn’t going to leave him with the other man if he wasn’t comfortable with that.

The boy shrugged.

“Yeah. No, it’s okay. Go ahead. I’ll call you, later.”

Tony sat down after the others left, his eyes watching Peter, unabashedly.

“Peter Parker. Jesus. You’ve grown.”

Peter shrugged.

“It was bound to happen.”

“You look great.”

“Thank you.”

“Still in school?”

“I graduated last year.”

“MIT?”

“NY State.”

Stark frowned.

“You could have done better than that.”

“It’s a good education. I’m fine.”

“How’s your aunt?” He searched for the name and found it. “May?”

“She passed a couple of years ago.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. She was a great woman.”

Peter nodded, feeling a pang of sorrow.

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

Peter shrugged.

“She became ill. It was pretty sudden.”

“You should have called. I would have tried to do something.”

“No one could have done anything,” Peter told him, feeling a surge of bitterness. “It wasn’t curable.”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” he said, again.

Peter nodded, wiping his hands on his slacks.

“Thank you.”

“How have you been?”

“Fine.”

“Still hanging out with that buddy of yours?”

He’d clearly searched for that name, too, and hadn’t managed to find it.

“Ned? He’s at Stanford. I see him, sometimes, on break.”

“Oh.” Stark’s expression softened. “Sounds lonely.”

Peter shrugged.

“I have an interesting job. It keeps me distracted.”

“Tell me more about what you’ve been up to.”

“It’s not interesting, Mr. Stark,” Peter told him. “ _Really_. I don’t want to waste your time.”

The billionaire frowned.

“You can call me _Tony_ , you know? You’re not fifteen, anymore.”

“Yeah. I know.” Peter looked at his watch. “I should get going. I want to perfect a couple of things before I try to show them to your people.”

“To _me_ ,” Tony corrected. “You’ll be working on this directly with me.”

“To you,” Peter agreed with a shrug. “When did you have in mind?”

“Why not first thing Monday morning? We’ll meet in my workroom in the tower at 10:00.”

Which wasn’t Peter’s idea of first thing in the morning, but he nodded.

“That’s fine. I’ll make sure I have everything lined up.”

“I’m sure you will. Come on, I’ll drop you off.”

Peter shook his head.

“No. It’s alright. I’ll get a cab.”

“You sure? I don’t mind.”

“No. I mean, yes, I’m sure. I’ll see you Monday.”

He got up and made a hasty exit, leaving Stark frowning as he watched his retreat.

Obviously, he was going to have to do some digging and see what Peter had been up to.

_Something that he should have done much sooner?_ a little voice asked, making him scowl as he felt a tiny pang of guilt. An emotion that he hated more than poison.

“Shut up…” he told himself, getting up, as well, leaving a tip and heading for his car.


	3. 3

“What are you looking at?”

Tony looked up at Romanoff’s voice, not at all surprised that she’d managed to sneak up on him. Not only was she quiet as hell, he was distracted at the moment.

“You’ll never _believe_ who I saw, today,” he told her, ignoring the question for the moment and turning off the display in front of him.

“Little pink elephants?”

“ _Who_. Not what,” he told her. “Peter Parker.”

“Who?”

He wasn’t surprised by the question.

“Peter Parker. Otherwise known as _Spiderman_.”

“The kid?” she asked. “ _Really_?”

“Not a kid, anymore. He works for a tech company that Stark Industries is probably going to merge with. I took the boss to lunch, and he was with her.”

“How’s he doing?”

Tony shrugged.

“I’m not sure. I got a vibe from him, once I figured out where I knew him from.”

“Vibe?”

“He’s either afraid of me, or mad at me. Or maybe just indifferent. He definitely isn’t the same guy I saw last time.”

“He was what… _fifteen_? Sixteen? last time you saw him?”

“Fifteen,” Tony confirmed, looking at a picture that he’d taken from a video his AI had recorded. A picture of Tony and the boy sitting in the back of the car, smiling at the camera. He’d been so young. “I haven’t thought of him in years.”

She sat on the arm of the chair he was in, looking over his shoulder at the picture.

“Yeah. I remember him. _Adorable_.”

“You should see him, now…” Tony turned the display on, again, and the picture that showed, now, was a young man. Leaner, without the roundness that came with being a boy, but the same intelligent gaze looked back at them. Maybe more wariness in those brown eyes, now, but still brilliant. “He went to state college.”

“Must be doing alright if he’s working with technology that has you interested.”

“Oh, he is.”

“Still doing the Spiderman thing?” she asked. “I don’t remember hearing anything about him, recently, but he was pretty small time, as I recall.”

“No. I’ve been searching for him, but there’s nothing.”

Nothing since the day that Tony had taken the suit away from him. Had reamed him for being irresponsible and risking himself – and _others_ – in his eagerness to prove himself.

The display showed several internet articles, mainly asking the same thing. _Where is Spiderman?_

The question had gone unanswered. Peter had apparently given up being a superhero and had gone on to finish school in record time, go to a community college for two years and then State for the last two, graduating only a few months before, even before he turned twenty-one – which would happen in a few weeks.

“He changed his mind about being a superhero?” That was unusual. “Why would he do that?”

“I’m not sure.” Maybe because Tony took the suit away? But Peter had been Spiderman before Tony had given him the suit that he’d taken away that day. No reason to think that he wouldn’t have continued. “I’ll have to find out, I guess.”

><><><>><><

Monday morning found Peter walking into the impressive lobby of Stark Industries at approximately 9:45, to make sure that he wasn’t late – but wasn’t so early that he had to stand around, waiting, either. He had dressed casually; slacks and a button down shirt, with well-worn loafers that were still sharp looking enough that he wasn’t too out of place – although he wasn’t wearing a suit jacket or a tie.

“You don’t have to take the lead on the tech,” Ria had told him Friday evening, when he’d called her to tell her what the plan was and to make sure that she knew what he was going to be discussing with Tony Stark. “I could go, if you’re not comfortable with him.”

“Oh. No, it’s alright,” Peter had assured her. “I’d rather let you be the queen bee; hovering, but not doing the stuff that we peons can do instead.”

He could hear the humor in her voice when she replied to that.

“If you insist. But if you need anything I’ll make sure I’m free all day Monday.”

“Hopefully it won’t be that long.”

“I’ll pay you double over-time if it is,” she assured him.

They spoke a while longer, with Ria still pretty pleased about the results of their lunch and wanting to talk about how much of their tech Peter thought that they should share – and if Peter thought that they should bring up the new concept things that he was still forming in his mind. By the time she’d ended their call, Peter had a fair idea of what he and Tony Stark would discuss – and he’d made sure to bring the information with him on his laptop when he’d gone to the tower that morning.

To his surprise, Tony Stark himself was leaning against the receptionist desk, clearly waiting for him. He smiled at the younger man when he walked up and offered Peter his hand.

“Peter. How was your weekend?”

“Good. Thank you.”

Tony nodded, turning to the receptionist.

“Make him an all access badge, will you? I’m going to have him in some of the high security places and I don’t want our flow to be interrupted by me needing to call in overrides.”

“Yes, sir.”

They didn’t take Peter’s picture, again, they just used the one that he had on file and a minute later, Peter was pinning the new badge to his shirt.

“Did you have breakfast?” Tony asked him, guiding him to a small elevator. “Can I offer you anything?”

“Yes. I mean, yes, I’ve had breakfast, I’m fine, thank you.”

They were silent on the way to the floor, but Peter could feel Tony watching him, even though he wasn’t looking at the older man. When the elevator opened, Tony led him out.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what you have,” he said as they walked down a brightly lit corridor that Peter vaguely remembered from when he’d been there last – when he was fifteen.

“Yeah. I brought some of the prototypes that I’ve completed. To give you an idea of what real-world applications they have.”

“Good.”

A door swooshed open and the billionaire led him into a workroom. Peter was surprised to see one of the Ironman suits displayed against the far wall. He looked at it, unable to damp down the interest – and the thrill that he still felt at the sight of the red and gold outfit. It was different than he remembered the last one he’d seen close up, but he didn’t ask what was new, and turned toward the wide table, setting his bag down on it, carefully, and pulling out a folder.

“Ria asked me to have you sign the confidentially, non-disclosure and proprietary contracts before we get started,” he said, handing the folder over. “I don’t mind waiting while you have your lawyer look them over.”

Stark shrugged and pulled out a pen. Surprising Peter – but not really _too_ much – he simply opened the folder, gave each paper a cursory glance and signed his name and the date on the bottom of each contract. Then he handed the folder back to the younger man.

“Let’s see what you have.”

Peter opened his laptop and started the programs that had been hibernating. Ultra aware of the man standing beside him, he spent the first twenty minutes running him through the history of the research that he’d been doing and showed him the progression of the technology. Then, silently pleased to have such a knowledgeable audience, he spent another hour running the billionaire through the initial ideas that he’d come up with to apply the tech.

“We can use it for a bunch of different applications,” Peter pointed out. “The military and police could have instant body armor. The same as a bullet-proof jacket, for now, but as the technology gets better developed and the process becomes more streamlined, it could be expanded to entire suits.”

“An _Ironman_ suit?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.

Peter shrugged, glancing at the suit over his shoulder.

“I have to admit that the thought _did_ come to mind,” he told him. “It would still take some consideration, but the result would be seamless – and still flexible enough to make it more maneuverable than anything that you have right now. At least what I’ve seen in public.”

“I’m developing a lot more behind the scenes,” Tony said. “Want to take a look?”

The young man shook his head.

“Maybe later.”

He had grown out of the hero worship – or had had it stomped out of him, take your pick – so the offer didn’t send the thrill through him that it might have when he was fifteen.

“Let’s take a break,” Tony suggested. “You must be dry, explaining so much.”

“I’m fine.”

“We’ll I’m dry _listening_ ,” he said. “Come on.”

Peter suppressed a sigh and followed the older man out of the room and down the hall. He had just started getting into the groove of his explanation. They walked into Stark’s lavishly appointed office, and the door closed silently behind them, although Peter heard it lock.

“Drink?”

“Just water.”

“You _could_ have something harder,” Tony told him. “You’re pretty close to twenty-one, now.”

“I know. I’m okay, thank you.”

“ _Are_ you?” Tony asked, opening a bottle of sparkling water and pouring a glass for Peter before making himself a drink. “Because I did some checking on you…”

“Checking?”

“You’re not doing the Spiderman thing?”

Peter shook his head.

“No.”

“Why not? Did you suddenly lose your abilities? Can’t stick to the walls, anymore? Lost the speed and super strength?”

“No. I still have that.”

“Then why aren’t you using it? I thought you wanted to save the world?”

“I wanted to look out for the _little guys_ ,” Peter said, abruptly. “Saving the world is for real superheroes. I knew I wasn’t one of them – or at least, I figured it out. You taught me that.”

He set down the glass of water, ignoring the odd expression on the other’s face.

“Peter…”

“I’m going to go set up the next part of the presentation,” he said. “Just come when you’re ready.”

He turned and walked toward the door, hearing the lock open just as he reached for the handle, and letting himself out of the room.

Tony stared at his retreating back, and then downed his drink.

“Fuck.”


	4. 4

He was standing at the table fiddling with his laptop when Tony joined him.

“Hey.”

Peter had known he was there, of course. Even if the opening door hadn’t warned him, he would have _felt_ him. People didn’t sneak up on him very often. He looked up.

“Ready?”

“No. I want to _talk_ about this.”

“I _don’t_.” He turned the laptop so Stark could see the display. “This is what I worked out for the interior of automobiles. If I figure out how to make it expand – and we can cut the costs of programming and manufacturing down, diplomats and-“

“Peter. _Seriously_? You’re blaming me for keeping you from being Spiderman?”

“No. Of course not. That would be stupid. If diplomats can use something like this for-“

“Stop the presentation, for Christ’s sake, will you?” Tony snapped, annoyed.

“I’m here for the presentation,” Peter reminded him. “Just forget about the rest. It’s _history_ , right?”

“No. I want-“

“It’s always what _you_ want, isn’t it, Mr. Stark?” Peter interrupted; his brown eyes annoyed. “I want you to do this, and I need you to do that – and who gives a flying fuck what anyone else wants? What _I_ wanted? Or _needed_?”

Tony literally took a step back.

“Peter...”

“I get that you took the suit,” he said, not letting the older man speak. “I _deserved_ it. I could have killed all those people and that would have been on me. I’m _not_ hero material and proved it right there. But I was still _there_. You could have at least said goodbye, or something, instead of leaving me hanging, waiting to see if you were going to call. I waited. And _waited_. But then I gave up. If someone as brilliant as you decided that I was a washout, then who was I to disagree?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Tony told him, hearing the anger in Peter’s voice. The resentment and also the defeat. “It… it was a bad time for me. And right after that. I’d found out about my parents… and Cap was ripping the Avengers apart, my relationship with Pepper was in the shitter and we broke up… by the time everything was starting to get untangled again, I just…”

“You just forgot about me.”

“Yeah.” The admission stung him – but not as much as it stung Peter, he could see. “I… you were too good for me,” he said, trying to ignore the hurt he saw in Peter’s beautiful eyes. And the tears that were welling up, although they hadn’t fallen. “It was like when my mother would dress me in white clothing, but then admonish me not to get dirty, and I couldn’t do all the things that I liked to do, because they would soil the perfection. I didn’t want _that_. By the time I got my shit together, got the Avengers straightened out, again, and reconciled that I didn’t have a chance at getting Pepper back, I was moving on. It was the kind of guy that I was, back then.”

“Right.”

“I didn’t _want_ to hurt you.”

Peter sniffed, wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, and then shrugged, turning his attention back to the laptop.

“Diplomats can use this tech,” he said – returning to the topic at hand without responding. “And that means that not only do we tap military and police markets, but we can get all kinds of contracts from governments for that, as well. You can see what that would do for Stark Industries – and for Ria’s company.”

Tony stared at him, his jaw clenched so tightly that his teeth hurt, but then he nodded, accepting that Peter was finished talking about their history. He could have pushed for more, but what would it have done? Hurt him? Brought up memories that were clearly painful – and rightfully so?

“Yes. The applications even go beyond that, really,” he agreed, forcing his gaze from Peter’s face down to the laptop display, which was showing a wave of animated nanotech spreading along the interior of a diplomatic limo. “Pepper was right; you guys are sitting on a goldmine.”

“So you’re _interested_?”

“I’d be crazy not to be. And I’m a lot of things, but crazy isn’t one of them.” Peter didn’t say anything, and Tony appreciated it. He rubbed his hand against his jaw, massaging the tension out. “It’ll take a lot of work; hashing out the concept and turning it into a 3-D representation, first.”

“It took a lot of work to get the concept design,” Peter told him, shrugging. “We have a small group of techs that Ria thought about bringing in.”

“No. You understand the concept; you _should_ , since it’s yours. I’d rather work on it with just you, one-on-one, to avoid cross contamination. FRIDAY can work out the really complicated stuff, which will save some time, but-“

“Who?”

“FRIDAY. My AI. Say hi to Peter, honey.”

_“Hello, Peter.”_

“I thought Jarv…” he shrugged. “Hello, FRIDAY.”

“I’ll have Pepper talk to Ria,” Tony told him. “And see if she can spare you to work with me on this for the next month, or so.”

“What?”

“It might be _longer_ ,” Tony said, shrugging. “But I like this concept, and I want to get it going. And I want to work out a deal with Ria to use the tech in my next suit.”

“I don’t-“

“She’s going to make millions on this deal,” Stark pointed out. “Her company is private, too, which means no shareholders to leech the profits.”

He knew; he’d checked it out and so had Pepper.

Peter gave a purely inward sigh. He didn’t want to push his luck and do something that would ruin Ria’s chances at realizing her tech company dream – not to mention making a fortune. He hesitated, though, wondering if the billionaire was doing it on purpose, just to punish him for speaking out at him, or if he really was interested in developing the tech with Peter.

In the end, he supposed that it didn’t matter what Mr. Stark’s motivations were. The tech would only be better for having a genius like Tony Stark working on it – no matter how Peter felt about it. That was more important than being able to hide in the shadows.

“I’ll ask her,” he finally said. “For a _month_.”

“Maybe more,” Tony corrected. “ _And_ the suit deal.”

“You have to ask _her_ about that.”

He wouldn’t dream of trying to put a valuation on that. It wasn’t his place.

Tony nodded.

“Fair enough.” He fished a paper out of his pocket, wrote on it and handed it to Peter. “Here’s my number. My _private_ number. When you have an answer, call me – preferably tonight – and we’ll set up our schedule.”

“Alright.”

“Want to go to lunch?” Stark asked him. “To celebrate?”

“Thanks, but no. I have some things I need to take care of.”

He put his laptop away while Tony watched him, silently.

“You’ll call me?” the older man asked. “And let me know what she says?”

“Yes.”

Tony hesitated.

“You _could_ just call me, too…” he said. “If you need anything.”

Peter shook his head, almost sadly.

“I learned a long time ago that I don’t need anything from you,” he said, softly. “You taught me _that_ , too.” The boy closed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. “I’ll call as soon as I have an answer.”

And then he was gone, leaving the room without another word.

Tony leaned against his table, looking at the door.

_“He doesn’t seem to like you,”_ FRIDAY told him, helpfully.

“He has every reason to hate me,” Tony told her. “But I’ll make it up to him.”

_“How?”_

“Good question.”

He supposed that he could start with making his boss incredibly wealthy. Peter obviously liked her. Besides, if Ria succeeded, then that meant that the merger would succeed, as well, and that was a win win win all around.


	5. 5

To her credit Ria didn’t automatically assume that Peter wanted to work one on one with Tony Stark. Nor did she jump at the fact that the man was apparently so interested in her company. She was, however, cautiously optimistic.

“It sounds like he’s onboard,” she said to Peter when he stopped by her office to see her once he’d left Stark tower.

“He _is_. The tech is complicated enough that it’s interesting – even to a genius like him. There’s a lot of money to be made with this merger. He said it himself.”

He didn’t think Tony Stark cared as much about the money as he did the tech, however.

“But you don’t want to work with him?”

“I’d be crazy not to,” Peter told her. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“But you had that opportunity before, and it didn’t go so well…?”

She didn’t know _everything_ about his past with Tony Stark, but she knew some (that there had been a failed internship under him) and was intelligent enough to guess at more. Not _all_ of it, of course, but no one would ever be able to guess at it all.

“No,” he admitted. “But maybe this time will be different.”

“We could go with a different company,” she said, watching him. Peter liked that about her; when she was talking to him – or to _anyone_ – it always seemed like they were the only one in the room with her. “I’ve had nibbles from several others; Hammer and Oscorp being the most notable – but a few little companies like us, only with a lot of financial backing. We could probably do well with one of them.”

“You’d be better off with Stark Industries. They have the most stability – and the best minds.”

“Do I tell Tony that I need you for a different project?” she asked, pointedly.

“No. I’m alright. _Really_.”

“And you’ll tell me if that changes?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Then we’ll go with them.” She smiled, and the expression lit up her eyes and her face. “It’s a good fit, really. I like Pepper Potts.”

“Yeah. She reminds me of you, really.”

Which was a compliment, and Ria knew it. She practically beamed.

“What do you need from me?”

“Nothing, really.“ They’d already discussed what technology would fit best with the merger. “I’ll start with what we want to showcase and let Mr. Stark bring up his new suit to you, sometime, when you’re free.”

“It’d be interesting to see how he managed to train the nanotech to be the colors that he wants in the positions that he wants them in.”

“If anyone can do it, he can,” Peter assured her. “I’ll let you know once he figures it out.”

Which would take a while, Peter was certain.

“Thank you. Go take the rest of the day off,” she told him, waving him away with a lazy hand. “I’m going to go over those contracts he signed with our lawyers, just to make sure they’re ironclad.”

Peter nodded, glad that he didn’t have to deal with that kind of thing. He loved the tech side of the business but hated all of the administrative chores that came with running a company – and it was only going to get crazier, he knew. He left her to her work, and then went home, figuring he might as well take her up on the offer of having the afternoon off. Flopping down on his couch, he pulled out his phone and the piece of paper.

Stark answered on the first ring.

_“Peter. Tell me good things.”_

“She’s agreed.”

_“And you’re willing to work with me?”_

“Yes.”

“Great. Which will work better for you? Mornings? Afternoons or evenings?”

“Whatever is best for you.”

He wasn’t the one with the crazy social life, now was he?

_“Evenings, then,”_ came an immediate decision. _“That way we won’t keep being interrupted by people with annoying questions and throwing off our flow of thought.”_

“That’s fine.”

“ _Tomorrow_?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll see you here at the tower at six, then.”

“Alright.”

_“And don’t eat dinner; I’ll feed you. It’s the least I can do for you giving up your evenings for me.”_

Peter shook his head, wondering what he thought he was giving up.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The call ended, and Peter headed for the kitchen. He definitely needed some lunch, and something to distract him from the thought of hanging out with Tony Stark nonstop for the unforeseeable future.

><><><><>

Once again, Tony was waiting for him in the lobby. He was dressed impeccably and chatting casually with one of the people at the receptionist desk. Not a _receptionist_ , since the tower was emptying quickly now that the workday was over for man, but this was a security guard. Stark broke off the conversation when Peter walked into the lobby and moved to intercept him.

“You’re right on time.”

The boy nodded.

“I didn’t want you to have to wait for me.”

“I appreciate that.” They headed for the elevator. “And I appreciate your willingness to work around my schedule.”

“It’s fine.”

“We’re going to make a stop in my office so I can change, if you don’t mind?” Peter was wearing comfortable slacks and a polo, and Tony didn’t want to stay in a suit. “I do my best work in comfortable clothes.”

“No problem.”

Stark started talking to him about the plan for that evening; which technology he wanted to work on, first, and how he thought FRIDAY would be able to assist them. As they discussed it, he led Peter to his office and immediately sluffed off his jacket and tie, hanging them up, neatly, before taking off his shirt.

“Make yourself at home,” he said to the boy, who leaned against the side of the fancy leather sofa that dominated one wall of the room. Wearing just slacks and shoes, Tony walked across the room and a panel opened at his approach, holding shelves of clothing that were neatly folded. “Anything to drink?”

“No. Thank you.”

While he was changing, Peter noticed that the older man was leaner and clearly in better shape than he had been, before. His chest and shoulders were muscular, and he was even sporting a bit of a six-pack. Not bad for an old guy.

Tony kicked off his shoes and dropped his pants before he reached for a pair of old, faded, jeans. He looked over at Peter.

“It’s casual,” he told him. “You can wear jeans, too, if you want. Whatever you’re most comfortable in.”

“Thank you.”

He decided that Stark was going out of his way to be nice, and wondered if it was because he really wanted to see the tech they were going to be working on improve, or if Peter had annoyed him and somehow he thought being extra nice to him was a way to punish him.

It didn’t matter, really. He’d take him up on the offer and wear jeans, too.

When Tony was dressed, they headed for the workroom, and Peter found a platter of sandwiches, chips and colas waiting for them.

“It’s not fancy,” Tony told him, picking up a sandwich to take a bite. “But it’s easy to eat and not too messy.”

“It’s good, thank you.”

To prove that, Peter picked up a sandwich, too, already setting his bag down to get his laptop.

><><><><><

It wasn’t as bad as he thought it was going to be, Peter decided several hours later. Tony hadn’t tried to engage in conversation about what had happened before. Instead, he’d limited the conversation to their work, and had asked Peter a million questions to make sure that he understood what the young man intended to accomplish – so that he’d know what their eventual goal would be for the first finished concept.

Only then had Tony brought FRIDAY into the conversation to explain to Peter what the AI was capable of doing to assist them.

That had taken them most of the evening and remembering how the billionaire had been ultra-focused on working when he’d known him, before, Peter was surprised that it was only sometime around midnight when Tony had called a stop to their night’s work.

“We’ll call it a night,” he’d said, setting down the pen that he’d been chewing on. “You’re good coming back, tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Definitely. Six?”

Peter also had to admit that he was pretty excited. Tony was brilliant, after all, and right now, he was focused on technology that was Peter’s baby. There was no way it wasn’t going to turn out perfected by the time they were finished.

Ria was going to be happy, too, he knew, and Peter couldn’t wait to give her an update in the morning.

“Six,” Tony confirmed. “Bring dinner.”

Fair enough.

“Sure.”

Tony walked him out – for security reasons, he told Peter, although the security around the tower was so tight that even the meekest of secretaries was safe walking out the door at any time of the night. He had thoroughly enjoyed himself that night, and just wanted to prolong that moment a little longer. The time he was spending with Peter was proving what he’d always known; even though he’d forgotten the last five years, or so.

Peter Parker was a very bright young man.

Stark was more and more impressed. He didn’t say it, though, and was careful to keep his admiration to himself, concerned that Peter might think he was either being condescending or was simply saying that he was impressed to try and make up for the past that they had. Neither was true in this case.

“You’re cleared to just come up, now,” he told the younger man as they crossed the deserted lobby and headed for the entrance. “You have a badge that will allow you anywhere, so you don’t need to wait for me.”

“Thank you.”

The geek inside Peter squeed with excitement at that, but he didn’t say more than that, and forced the excited giggle down, worried that it might come out maniacal and freak the older man out.

Tony nodded, and stood by while Peter hailed a cab.

“I’ll see you in the workroom at six.”

“I’ll be there,” Peter told him, getting into the back of the car.

“Good.”

Tony watched until the cab was out of sight and then headed for the garage, and his car.

He was ready to go home, too.


	6. 6

“Ria Yarkle is here to see you.”

Tony was surprised but smiled.

“Send her in.”

He stood up at his desk and came around as Ria walked into the room, dressed in relaxed clothing, and still looking as if she’d come out of a board meeting. Tony offered her his hand.

“Ria. It’s nice to see you.” He affected a confused and worried frown. “We didn’t have a meeting, though, right? I didn’t forget something?”

She smiled, too.

“No. I came to talk to you about Peter.”

“Oh? He should be here around six.”

Tony had been spending the past week and a half each evening – except Saturday and Sunday – with Peter in the workroom, working on the tech and finding himself more and more impressed every hour. Peter was simply a genius. The bright mind that had been so promising as a fifteen-year-old was living up to that, and Tony liked that he didn’t have to explain everything that they were looking at more than once to the boy.

“I wanted to talk to you without him here,” Ria told him.

“Is everything alright?”

Peter was still somewhat formal with Tony, despite the long hours they were spending together, but Stark had been careful not to reference their past with him – in an effort to keep from annoying him – or reminding him what Tony had done.

But he could have said something, accidentally, he knew.

“Everything is fine,” she assured him. “He gives me reports on your interactions with the technology, and I’m excited to see the finished results.”

“He’s a hard worker – and a genius. You should be proud of him.”

“I am. But I know that he’s working with you on Tuesday, and I was hoping that you wouldn’t mind skipping a day?”

“Is he getting worn out?”

Had he been pressing too hard? Keeping crazy hours that Peter couldn’t handle?

“Tuesday is his birthday, and I plan to throw him a party.”

“Oh. Yes. Of course.” Tony smiled. “Please tell me I’m invited?”

She nodded. While she knew that Peter and Tony had some kind of history, she also knew that the boy had been very excited every time she told Ria about the things that he and Tony Stark were working on – and the fact that he was so wired about having Tony all to himself, so much. Having Tony at his birthday party should make it even more sensational – and she had to admit that she liked the idea of having a chance to introduce some of the people she was going to invite to Ironman himself.

“I think he’d be happy that you wanted to come,” she assured him. “It’ll be at my place around eight. And it’s a surprise party, so if you would, try to think of a way to cancel your evening without telling him anything about it.”

“Or I could keep our plans intact and bring him to your place at the prescribed time under false pretenses. Then he won’t suspect anything.”

“Great plan. I’ll call you with some kind of emergency and ask you two to rush right on over.” Her expression was pleased. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Tony couldn’t help that his expression was pleased, too. “Since I have you here, I wanted to talk to you about incorporating your tech in some form or another into the newest incarnation of my Ironman suit – once we get it perfected.”

She nodded.

“Peter mentioned that you said something like that. Would it work for what you do in the suit? I have to admit, I don’t know a lot about it – aside from what Peter’s told me.”

“From before?” Tony asked. “Or the more recent?”

“This is more recent,” she said. She hesitated. “I know the two of you have some history, but it upsets him, so I try not to pry.”

He gave her a wry look.

“I used him badly, I’m ashamed to admit. When he was much younger.”

Ria’s eyes narrowed.

“ _Used_ him?”

The billionaire scowled.

“Not like that,” he said, quickly. “I was a terrible person back then, but even I had limits.” Well, that wasn’t true, really, but he had Pepper constantly nagging in his ear and acting as his conscience. “No. I was his mentor, then we had a… well, a falling out is the only way to put it. And I left him high and dry.”

She nodded, again.

“Which is probably somewhere around the time that I first met him, because he was a wreck.”

“How old was he?”

“Sixteen.”

“That would be about right. I’m _better_ , now, though,” he added. “I’m not going to do that, again. Not to him, and not to you.”

“He’s a really good person…” she said. “And I love him very much.”

“He _is_ a good person,” Tony agreed. “He was a great kid, too. And I lo- like him very much, too.”

“You understand that if you hurt him again all the technology in the world won’t be able to save you, right?”

Tony wasn’t offended by the threat; it simply made him like Ria even more.

“I won’t hurt him.”

She studied his face, carefully, those rich chocolate eyes of hers seeming to be able to see into his very soul. After a long moment, she nodded, and leaned back in the comfortable leather of the chair.

“You want to use my technology for your Ironman suit?”

“I _do_. Almost certainly. What will it cost me?”

“An arm and a leg, most likely.”

That made Stark smile.

“I need all of those. Start thinking about it, alright? I don’t need to know, right away. We’re still months from actual practical tests.”

She frowned.

“Peter seems to think sooner than months. He told me that he expects he could do a personal trial in a few weeks.”

“ _Really_? He told you that?”

“He did.”

“Huh. Well…” Tony wondered if Peter was working on something on the side – and how he could bring that particular question up in a regular conversation. “Then maybe you should think a little harder about a number for me.”

She smirked, looking pleased – and Tony couldn’t blame her. It didn’t happen often that someone else had him in a position like this. Where she had something that he didn’t – or, in this case, she had the legal rights to something that he wanted to incorporate – and he was willing to do whatever she wanted in order to be allowed to have it.

“I’ll think about it,” she promised. “In the meantime, keep Peter’s birthday party a secret, will you?”

“Yes.”

“And get him to my place by eight pm.”

“We’ll be there. Come up with a reason, though.”

She knew Peter better than he did, after all.

><><><><>

“You really didn’t need to come…”

“It sounded important,” Tony told Peter, making sure to keep his expression somewhat concerned, and to not show any sign of smugness. “What if it’s an emergency? Or if she has a question about what we’re working on? While I’m sure you would do a fine job of explaining things to her, I would be remiss if I didn’t help.”

Peter just shrugged.

“Okay.”

It sounded like Tony was micromanaging, but Peter didn’t think that he was. At least not like he had been, before, when Peter had been younger.

“Good.” They crossed the lobby to the elevator once they reached Ria’s somewhat upscale apartment building. Nothing like where Tony lived, but it was a nice place, and much classier than Peter’s building. Which was almost certainly why they were having the birthday party at her place rather than surprise Peter at his own. “Besides… she’s a nice person. I’d want to be there if something happened and she needed anything.”

Peter tossed him a look, but to his credit he didn’t mention how Tony hadn’t been there for him. As far as the boy was concerned, he’d had his say and it was done. Tony didn’t know that, though, and he appreciated it.

“She _is_ a nice person,” Peter agreed. “I’m glad you guys are getting along.”

Tony nodded, but decided that it was time to do a little investigating. Him and Sherlock Holmes…

“You wouldn’t mind if we got along a little better…?” he asked, causally.

He wasn’t really interested in Ria as a partner between the sheets, but he was digging, and his intense gaze was watching Peter carefully for any sign or hint at the relationship the younger man had with his mentor.

Peter shook his head.

“No.” He wasn’t too worried about the two of them becoming an item, though. Ria wasn’t going to fall for the fame or the glamor of possibly being in a relationship with Tony just because of who he was. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Tony said, nonchalantly. “She’s great.”

“Yes,” Peter agreed. Then he smiled, slightly. “But she isn’t my type.”

“Oh?” He was a little confused by that. “She’s a sexy, intelligent woman,” he said as they got onto the elevator.

“Which is _why_ she isn’t my type,” Peter told him, watching him to see his reaction.

Once he figured out what he meant, that was.

Tony frowned.

“What do you mean? You don’t like smart – oh. _Oh_ …”

He couldn’t help that his eyes widened, slightly, or that his eyebrows raised.

Peter only smiled.

“Yeah.”

“You mean you prefer… I mean, you’re…”

“I like _men_. Yes.”

The door opened and Peter walked out of the elevator, but it took Stark a few long moments before he followed.

Peter hesitated before knocking on the door and Tony – who had caught up with him by the time he reached Ria’s door – wondered if those Spider senses that Peter used to have were still around and if they would give away the surprise.

The shocked look on the boy’s face when the door opened and his boss moved to the side, immediately, so the room of people could yell surprise at him answered that question, though. Peter looked at Stark, who held up his hands, innocently.

“It was her idea, I swear.”

“Come in, birthday boy,” Ria said, looking pleased at how surprised Peter was. “You didn’t really think that we’d forget about your birthday, did you?”

“Especially your twenty-first,” Tony added, smiling as he walked in and looked around the room with approval. There was a table of food, and another filled with bottles of all sorts and shapes. “I’m pretty sure the rule is still that you have to get shit-faced on your twenty-first birthday. Just so you know how bad it feels in the morning.”

“Don’t listen to him, Peter,” Ria told him as the young man walked into the room, immediately being greeted by his coworkers and friends – and a large, fancy birthday cake. “You don’t _have_ to get shir0faced. But now you can, if you want to. As long as you surrender your car keys ahead of time.”

She knew that he didn’t have a car, though, so that wasn’t a concern. Peter smiled, feeling pleased and happy.

“Mr. Stark drove us,” he replied.

Besides, she knew that he didn’t drink.

“Good point,” Tony said, reaching into his pocket and handing Peter his keys. “You are now responsible for making sure I get home, safely.”


	7. 7

“He looks like he’s having a good time.”

Peter glanced over to the side of the room Ria was looking at and nodded. Tony was in the middle of a small crowd of Peter’s coworkers and friends, waving his hands expansively as he told them a story that clearly included being Ironman, to judge by the way he was making swooping motions with the hand that wasn’t holding his drink.

It wasn’t intended by Ria, Peter knew, that Tony be the center of Peter’s birthday party, but it wasn’t unexpected. The man was Ironman, charismatic and charming – and he was a showman born. Of course he was. Peter wasn’t even annoyed, since he knew that Tony Stark liked telling stories and the people at his party were having a good time listening to them.

“Yes, he does. Thank you. For the party, I mean.”

“You’re welcome. Did _you_ have a good time?”

“It was great.”

It _was_ , too. There had been presents; mostly gift cards and gift baskets, but Ria had presented him with a certificate for a spa day at an upscale place that she told him would make his skin glow and make his hair as soft as silk. Peter had rolled his eyes at the skin comment; it wasn’t a priority for him, obviously. But he was touched, because she’d hugged him warmly when she’d given it to him and had told him she loved him instead of saying happy birthday.

Then they had had cake and ice cream, and Tony had walked to the booze table with several of the others – with Ria hovering, protectively – and had poured Peter a drink, handing it over with a challenging expression in his eyes. Peter had taken a sip, promptly choked on the flavor, and had shaken his head, no, handing it back to the billionaire – who downed it for him.

That particular scene had repeated several times that evening – with the same results. Peter would try the drink, sometimes no more than sticking a pinky in it and tasting it before shaking his head and giving it back. There were plenty of finger foods to dampen the effects of the alcohol and the celebrants were feeling good, but none were fall down drunk – although Tony was probably closer than any, and blaming it on Peter for not finishing his own drinks.

“I’m glad. Do you want another sandwich?”

“No.” he looked over at the crowd and saw that the story had wound down. “I’m going to take him home and then go home and get some sleep.”

It was well after midnight. Luckily, Ria had already told everyone that they weren’t expected into work before noon – which had been met with cheers of approval.

“You can leave him here,” she offered. “He can sack out on my couch.”

Which was nice of her, and it made Peter smile.

“Do you _really_ want a hung-over Tony Stark on your hands in the morning?”

“Good point,” she said, pulling Stark’s keys from a drawer. “Take him home.”

><><><><>

Tony was willing to leave, much to Peter’s relief. Taking him home was one thing; arguing with him about leaving would have been a nightmare.

“I’m probably good to _drive_ ,” Stark told him as they said their goodbyes to the others, who were also going to be leaving soon, since Ria was ready for bed and shooed everyone out, making sure that those who were too drunk to drive had someone taking them. “You can go home.”

Peter shook his head, handing a couple of his new gift baskets over to the billionaire rather than giving him his car keys.

“I’ll take you home, first. Call it job security.”

Tony didn’t argue, and they walked down to the parking garage and Peter got behind the wheel of the high performance sportscar.

“You can drive a stick?” Tony asked, putting the gift baskets in the back.

Peter nodded.

“May taught me.”

The older man grew silent, and sighed.

“I should have been the one to teach you…”

Peter just shrugged and started the car. There were a lot of should have been and could have beens that had gone through his mind during the first couple of years after Stark had cut communications with him, but he was more or less over them, now. _Tony_ clearly wasn’t – but he hadn’t had as much time to process it as Peter.

“I should have taught you to _shave_ , too…” Tony murmured – more to himself than to Peter.

The young man looked at the facial hair on the man’s chin and jaw.

“Probably not.”

Of course, Peter could go a week in between shaving before he even showed a five o’clock shadow, so shaving wasn’t his biggest priority anyway.

“How to dress…”

“My folks taught me that when I was a toddler,” Peter told him, pulling out onto the street, and just going along with the musing of the drunk man.

There wasn’t any point of ruining the good time that he’d had by giving Tony a cold shoulder, after all. It wasn’t like he was going to remember most of it in the morning, after all.

“I mean how to dress _sharp_. Not how to put your pants on.”

Stark fell silent as they drove to his place and Peter parked the car in a spot that was exclusively for the billionaire. When he looked over at him as he turned off the engine, he saw that the older man had drifted off. Either asleep or passed out.

He opened his eyes, though, when Peter opened his door and touched his shoulder.

“Come on,” Peter said, gently. “I’ll walk you up.”

“Yeah.”

Which was probably a good decision, considering the way he was leaning when they reached the elevator. Peter put a steadying hand under Tony’s elbow when the elevator stopped and the doors opened directly into the billionaire’s penthouse apartment.

“Daddy’s home, honey,” Tony said as they walked out of the elevator car.

_“Welcome, Peter,”_ came FRIDAY’s soft tones. His ear caught that it was even lower than usual – as if the AI recognized that Tony was drunk and might not appreciate loud noises.

“Thank you.” He shook his head, not at all surprised that Tony had the AI in his home, too. “Did you just call yourself _daddy_?”

Tony smiled, looking just a little dazed – and he wasn’t sobering up any time soon, obviously.

“Are you into the daddy thing?”

Peter just shook his head, not bothering to answer that. Which was also probably wise, he supposed.

“Are you good?”

“Yeah. Stick around, though… please?”

Peter set Tony’s keys on the island in the kitchen area and Tony pulled off his jacket, dropping it on the sofa. The younger man found a bottle of water in the fridge and Stark walked over to sit on one of the barstools.

“Here.”

He’d never been drunk, but he knew the routine.

“Thanks.” Tony opened the bottle and took a sip, but set it aside, his eyes on Peter. “I can’t believe you’re _twenty-one_.”

The boy shrugged.

“It was bound to happen.”

“I missed so much.”

Peter was ready to change the subject. Not because he was uncomfortable – because he really _was_ beyond those terrible years, for the most part – but because he didn’t like the pain he saw in Tony’s expressive eyes.

“Should I make you something to eat?” he offered.

Tony shook his head.

“No.” He lurched back to his feet, unable to sit still, suddenly. “It won’t stay down.”

“It might buffer the alcohol.”

“You _really_ like guys?”

Peter blinked at the sudden change of subject, but he nodded.

“Yes.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Why?”

“Because those pretty eyes of yours could get you any woman in the city, I imagine…”

Peter smiled, despite himself, at the compliment.

“They work on _men_ , too.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

He was clearly trying to remember if he’d heard anything about a significant other.

“No. I don’t have time, right now.”

“Are you _looking_?” Stark asked, his expression changing, again, and this time Peter flushed as he found himself reacting to Tony’s smoldering gaze.

A gaze that had probably netted himself plenty of bedmates.

“Not right now.”

“Too bad.” Tony walked away. “Follow me.”


	8. 8

Peter hesitated, but then followed Tony into the older man’s bedroom, where Tony began pulling his shirt off.

“I should go.”

“I got you a birthday present,” Stark told him, walking through his bedroom. He kicked off his shoes at the door, moving them with his foot so they were out of the way. As Peter followed him into the room, he moved into the bathroom – and then straight into the shower, which turned on, instantly, spraying the billionaire with water, clothing and all. “Open the top drawer in my bedroom,” he ordered, ignoring the spray that was soaking his clothes and his hair, looking over his shoulder at Peter, instead.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Peter told him.

“Sure, I did.” He turned his face into the spray for a moment, closing his eyes and obviously trying to sober up a little before turning off the water. “I expect you to get me something, when my birthday comes, too, so don’t get uncomfortable about it.”

The older man started stripping out of his soaked clothing, and Peter left the bathroom doorway to go open the drawer as he’d been told. He frowned, looking at stacks of neatly folded boxers – which answered that question once and for all. He wondered, idly, what a tabloid would pay for such information.

“You got me _underwear_?”

Tony walked out of the bathroom wearing only a towel that was draped loosely around his hips, and another that he was drying his hair with.

“What? No.” He looked into the drawer, and then moved the underwear, revealing a sleek leather case. “That’s what I got you.”

“It’s nice.”

Peter had assumed that it was a laptop case, which it _was_ , but he was surprised that it was heavy when he pulled it out of the drawer. Tony smiled at his expression.

“Open it.”

The younger man carried the case to the bed and set it down before he was able to unzip it. Tony followed him, standing close while he did. Peter pulled out a new laptop, and a matching tablet.

“That’s nice of you,” the boy said, sincerely. His own laptop was a good one, but he didn’t even need to check to know that the one Stark was gifting him was going to be much, much better. “Thank you.”

Tony sat down, heavily, on the edge of his bed, still damp from the shower.

“You’re my biggest failure, Peter…” he said, softly, his eyes looking up at the younger man.

The words stung, and Peter couldn’t hide it. The truth that comes out when drinking was involved, he supposed.

“I was just trying to be like you…”

He’d said it before and ached to remember how horrible he’d felt back then, that terrible day on the roof.

Tony frowned. Then he shook his head, reaching for Peter’s hand.

“No. No. That isn’t what I meant, Peter. _You_ didn’t fail. I did. You were _amazing_ – even at fifteen. So much better than I ever could have been at that age. At _any_ age. I failed you. You could have been my greatest success. The best thing I ever did with my life – and I drove you away and then abandoned you. I’m _sorry_. I really am.”

It was a drunken apology, but it was genuine, and Peter knew it. He also knew that Stark hadn’t bought the laptop for him to buy his forgiveness. Peter looked into the eyes of the older man and saw the sincerity in Tony’s eyes. A sincerity that he’d never actually seen before – young _or_ old – and regret. He could have wallowed in it; could have made Tony Stark – _Ironman_ himself – squirm. Maybe even could have made him drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness. He was drunk, he was vulnerable.

And he was making the attempt to step up and do what he could to make things right.

Peter was too good a person to take advantage of anyone – even someone who had hurt him so deeply, before – and he instinctively knew that it was the last hurdle that he had to jump to get beyond all of that so that his past wouldn’t cloud his future.

“I accept your apology,” he told Tony, looking down at the hand the billionaire was holding.

“Yeah?”

The hand tightened, just a little.

Peter nodded, meeting Tony’s eyes, again.

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for coming to my birthday party.”

The older man smiled, and it was a mixture of a lot of relief, a little happiness and something Peter couldn’t read.

“You’re welcome.”

They both looked down at the hand that Tony was holding, now, and there was suddenly a subtle change in the tension that had been between them. It didn’t help that Tony was only wearing a towel, and it had slipped a bit while they’d been talking.

“I should go…” Peter told him.

Tony looked up at him, the hold on his hand tightening, again, but not possessively.

“You could _stay_.”

The younger man smiled and stood up, removing his hand from Tony’s gentle grasp. He cleared his throat and put the laptop back into the leather bag and then set it on the floor.

“No. That wouldn’t be a very good idea,” he said. “You need some sleep and I have some work to get done.”

He pulled the blankets on the bed back, looking at Stark, pointedly, and the billionaire stood up, dropped the towel and climbed into his bed, watching as Peter covered him with the blankets. His brown eyes were gentle, and he shifted a little, to get more comfortable.

“Tucking me in wasn’t part of the merger negotiations,” he told the boy. “But thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Need anything before I go?”

“FRIDAY? Call Peter a cab and make sure they charge it to me.”

_“Gotcha.”_

Peter smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Good night kiss?”

The younger man shook his head.

“You know my preferences,” he reminded him. “That could get _complicated_ , quickly.”

“Since we share them, you’re right,” Stark told him. “But I’m not asking you to crawl under my blankets with me. Just a _kiss_. Call it an early birthday present.”

“Your birthday isn’t for months,” Peter pointed out.

He felt his stomach flutter, just a little, though, at the thought.

“C’mon…”

He made a show of rolling his eyes, and pretending reluctance that he didn’t exactly feel, and then he leaned over and pressed his lips against Stark’s cheek. The older man turned his head, his lips lightly brushing against Peter’s for the briefest of moments before the boy pulled back.

_“Sneaky.”_

“Who, me?” Tony’s eyes were amused. “Goodnight, Peter.”

“Goodnight, Tony.”

The older man didn’t miss the fact that Peter called him by his first name. It made him smile.

“Tomorrow. Ten o’clock.”

“Are you going to be feeling up for that?”

Good point.

“Noon. I’ll bring lunch.”


	9. 9

The next day Peter found himself in the workroom, first. It wasn’t the first time that he’d beaten Tony there, and it wasn’t a surprise, really. He’d almost expected the older man to call him and cancel the day’s work, completely. He pulled the new laptop out of the bag and set it on the worktable. The night before he’d had a chance to check it out, and it was easily as nice as he’d expected it to be. He hadn’t loaded any programs on it or anything, yet, but it’d give him something to do while he waited.

Before he had a chance to do more than turn it on, though, the door opened, and Tony walked in. He was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt and looked no worse for the night that he’d had. For that matter, he looked a little more relaxed than usual – and he smiled at Peter when he set the bags of takeout food on the worktable.

“Sorry I’m late.”

“I haven’t been waiting long.”

“Good. Hungry?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Tony had worked with Peter enough by then to know what he liked and wasn’t so enamored of when it came to lunch and dinner. He unloaded their lunch, and sat on a stool across from Peter, so he could watch him while he ate.

“Did you have a chance to check out the new laptop?” he asked around a bite of a sandwich.

“It’s great. I haven’t programmed anything onto it, yet, but if we have a break, later, I’ll take care of it then.”

“FRIDAY can set it up for you if you give her access,” Stark offered. “You just need to tell her what you want on it.”

“Thanks.”

Tony nodded.

He’d woken that morning hung over and sporting an erection that refused to be knocked down until Tony had taken care of it in the shower. The fact that his mind kept wandering to Peter’s pretty brown eyes while he was stroking himself hadn’t been lost on him, and he was torn between amusement and chagrin when he found himself getting hard just watching Peter enjoy his lunch.

Another reason to sit across from him; to hide the effect the younger man was having on him.

“How’s your head?” Peter asked him.

“Clear.” He smiled. “I had a good time, last night. Thank you.”

“All I did was be born on the right date,” Peter pointed out. “And I really can’t even take credit for that. Ria’s the one who set up the party.” He smiled. “But I’m glad you had fun. I did, too.”

“Good.”

They finished their meal and then started working on the prototype concept that they’d been working on all week. Tony had regained control of himself, by then, and moved around to the other side of the table so that he could manipulate the display controls and look over Peter’s shoulder at the numbers that were coming through with each test that they ran.

If his hand brushed Peter’s arm, lightly, every now and then… well that was innocent.

_Mostly_.

The atmosphere in the workroom was a lot more relaxed than it had been. True to their conversation the evening before, Peter seemed to have really meant what he’d said to Tony about forgiving him, because the formal stiffness that the boy tended to carry when around the older man was gone – for the most part – and he even smiled a few times at some of Tony’s lame jokes.

Even better, as far as Tony was concerned – Peter hadn’t called him Mr. Stark once. It was _Tony_ , now. And he liked the change.

>><><><>>>

“How’s it going?”

“Good.”

Ria smiled at her young protégé.

“And you’d tell me if it wasn’t?”

Peter nodded.

“We’re good. _Really_.”

Ria had invited Peter to breakfast – even though she knew that he’d been up late working at the tower with Stark. She wanted a chance to connect with him, and it was a good time to do it. He was young, she knew he wouldn’t miss the sleep she was cheating him out of.

“He’s not being awful to you?”

Peter shook his head, appreciating the fact that she was trying to look out for him, but this time it really wasn’t needed. He nibbled on a slice of bacon.

“He’s actually being… sweet? Polite? I mean. No. He was polite, before. I don’t know how to describe what he’s being, now.”

It was two weeks since his birthday party and the air had been cleared between them, and Peter could tell the difference. The relaxed atmosphere in the workroom made their work go faster, since their discussion wasn’t stilted by awkwardness, now, or Tony tiptoeing around Peter’s feelings, but there was definitely a different kind of tension between them.

The only problem was that Peter didn’t know if it was _his_ fault, or if it was Tony. It seemed to him – although it could be (and probably _was_ ) his imagination – that Tony stood a little closer to him, now, when they were looking at a display together. He tried to remember if it had been like that before; maybe Tony didn’t heed the personal bubble thing and did it to everyone, and had only not done it to Peter before, because he was so uncomfortable around him?

Whatever the reason, Peter wasn’t immune to it. From the vantage of his twenty-one years, Tony Stark was a sexy, attractive man. Older than him by a lot, yes, but Peter had never cared about age. Besides, the expression was _younger man’s toy, older man’s joy_ , right? Peter was finding himself reacting whenever Tony’s hand brushed his skin, and Jesus, the one time his hip had accidentally pressed against Peter’s side? Almost instant hard-on, that Peter had had to hide for almost twenty minutes by sitting close to the table.

“Describe it,” she suggested. “Is he making you uncomfortable?”

He smiled.

“Yes. But not in a bad way.”

Her eyes narrowed, and Peter flushed, unaccountably.

“Are you _falling_ for him?”

“What? _No_.”

“Is he coming on to you and you just don’t realize it?”

“I think I’d realize it.”

But maybe he _wouldn’t_?

She didn’t look convinced, either.

“If it’s a distraction, or if you’re not interested, let me know. I’ll start hovering over you. I can be your cougar, hmm? Let him think you’re my boytoy?”

That made Peter smile, broadly, and almost choke on his bacon. She’d do it, too, he knew.

“It’s alright,” he assured her. “It’s nothing big.”

“You sure? I’ve never had a boytoy, before…”

He smirked.

“You’re going to be insanely rich, Tony tells me. You could afford to get yourself one.”

“All the good ones are gay.”

The boy just snorted, amused by her exaggerated sigh of exasperation.

“We’re getting close to being ready for an actual trial,” he told her, changing the subject. “We’ll use a mannequin to start, and then – if it doesn’t overrun the thing and squeeze the life out of it, we’ll try it on me.”

She frowned.

“Why you?”

“Because it’s my idea and my application. If someone’s going to give it a go, it should be me.”

“But what if it hurts you?”

“It won’t. We’ll make sure it’s safe, first.”

He’d had the same conversation with Tony. Only slightly different, since the billionaire knew Peter was enhanced.

“You can’t risk yourself,” he’d said, his brown eyes suddenly concerned. “What if something happens?”

“Then we turn off the program and the nanobots return to their housing.”

“Or they keep doing what they’re doing, and they hurt you.”

“I doubt that’s going to happen.”

“And if it does?” Tony pressed.

“It won’t. Besides, I’m pretty sturdy, remember?”

It was the first mention of his abilities that either had made in weeks.

“But…”

Peter had felt a little rush of something warm at the concern in Tony’s expression. Maybe a little giddiness at the fact that he seemed to genuinely care? But he tamped it down, and stuck to his guns, so to speak.

“It’s my invention. My responsibility,” he told the billionaire.

“But I could-“

“Did you let anyone else experiment with the tech when you were developing your Ironman suits?” He asked, pointedly.

Tony scowled.

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Because it was _me_. And at that time in my life, I honestly didn’t care what happened to me. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Peter forced down a smile.

“Then you better help me make sure the technology is sound by the time we’re ready to try it out on me.”

><><><

Ria didn’t look any more reassured by Peter’s confidence than Tony had. She pointed a sausage at him.

“I don’t want you trying anything until you and Tony are _both_ certain that it’s safe, you understand me, Peter Parker?”

He nodded.

“Yes.”

“Good.” She took a bite of the sausage she’d just threatened him with. “Not only do I _not_ want to have to replace you, I’m pretty sure I’d have a shit-ton of paperwork to fill out if something happened to you, and I don’t want to deal with it.”

The boy rolled his eyes, and they both chuckled.

“Fair enough.”


	10. 10

Three days later, when Peter walked into the workroom at five minutes to six, Tony was already there, but he didn’t have any of the normal displays up and running, and he was simply sitting at the table, drumming his fingers restlessly on the surface.

“You’re here, good.”

Peter nodded.

“I’m _supposed_ to be, though, right?”

“Yes. But… what do you think about taking a break, tonight?”

The younger man shrugged.

“Yeah. If you have something else that you need to do, it’s okay. I could probably just get some of the minor adjustments worked out that-“

“No, Peter,” Tony interrupted. “I mean, why don’t _we_ take a break? Do something a little less work-related? You’ve been working hard on this project, and so have I, and I think we should step back and take a cheat day and relax, instead. But together.”

“ _Together_?” Peter echoed.

“Right.” The billionaire didn’t see outright resistance in Peter’s expression, so he pressed on. “Like a team building thing. But _fun_. We deserve some fun, right?”

Peter shrugged.

“What did you have in mind?”

Again, he wasn’t saying no, Tony saw.

“Spa night. Ria gave you that gift certificate for your birthday, right?”

“Yes.”

“Did you use it, yet?”

“No.”

“Well, I happen to know that they cater to people who like to spend the evening being pampered. We can get haircuts, manicures, pedicures, massages, soak in the hot tub, have dinner and then end the evening with a movie at my place. What do you think?”

“ _Pedicures_?” Peter echoed. “Do guys _do_ that?”

Tony smirked.

“You’d be surprised. Come on; it’ll be great. Then, tomorrow, you can show off your glowing skin and new haircut to Ria, and she’ll be impressed at how good you look – and will be pleased that you used her present to relax.”

It was a good argument; he knew right away – even though he hadn’t quite (maybe?) meant to use Ria’s name to get Peter to go along with the idea.

“Alright.”

>><<><><>><<

“Have you been here before?” Peter asked, looking around with interest as they walked into the receiving area of the spa.

Tony nodded, not as impressed as Peter, but trying to see it from the younger man’s perspective. It was lavish; clean, and luxurious while still managing to look warm and intimate. The reception area held chairs and sofas for customers to relax on while waiting to be checked in – but the higher end patrons never waited long enough to sit down.

“I have,” he admitted. “Don’t tell anyone I said this, but it reminds me of a _brothel_.”

Peter smiled at that and saw the instant recognition in the eyes of the woman behind the desk. She definitely knew who Tony was, for sure.

“How many brothels have you seen?” he asked. “Never mind, I _don’t_ want to know.”

Tony smirked, but lost the look when the hostess came out from behind her admittance desk to greet them.

“Mr. Stark. How are you, tonight?”

She smiled warmly at Peter, but he knew that she was only being polite to him because of Tony.

“We’re great, thank you,” Stark replied. “We don’t have reservations, but my young friend and I are here to be pampered. He has a gift card, and whatever it doesn’t cover can be billed to me.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Peter told him. “I have money.”

“But it was _my_ idea, and that makes whatever is extra my treat. You can pay next time.”

Peter rolled his eyes but didn’t bother to argue – and he really didn’t have a chance. The woman smiled at him.

“Have you been here before, Mr…?”

“ _Parker_ ,” Peter supplied. “No.”

“Prepare to be spoiled.” She looked at Tony. “Any preferences?”

“Nope. We want the works.”

The woman nodded and rang a gentle bell on her desk, twice. Immediately two beautiful women walked out of a side room. One introduced herself to Tony as Bernice and the other told Peter her name was Ginger. Both were easy mannered and friendly, and Peter couldn’t even tell if it was just an act if they were sincerely nice people.

Which was the whole idea, he supposed.

“The works, ladies,” the hostess told them, moving back to her desk, but taking Peter’s gift certificate from him with a smile of thanks.

Bernice nodded.

“Champaign?” she offered.

Tony nodded.

“Absolutely. For two.”

Ginger looked at Peter and he gave an inward shrug.

“Sure.”

‘ _The works’_ started with Champaign while he and Tony were both treated to haircuts. The two women weren’t the ones doing the cutting; they simply stood close at hand, refilling the glasses as needed while two stylists quickly and efficiently gave the two customers trims. Neither actually looked _shaggy_ , so it had been mostly just to clean up any lingering scruffiness. After the haircuts came the shaves; and Tony’s facial hair was neatly trimmed to perfection, while Peter’s pretty much non-existent five o’clock shadow was carefully scraped from his face with an expert touch, and then he found a hot towel wrapped around his face and neck.

At the same time, they had two other attendants each, one doing a manicure, and the other taking care of pedicures, which made Peter squirm just a little.

“Ticklish?” Tony asked, amused, as he watched the man taking care of Peter’s feet tighten his grip a little when the boy jerked – _again_.

“A little.”

“I’ll have to remember that,” the billionaire said, closing his eyes and giving himself up to the pampering.

Peter just rolled his eyes, but the gesture was lost on the older man.

When they were done in the chairs, they were led to another room. Two tables, side by side – which Peter recognized as massage tables, even though he’d only ever had one massage professionally in his lifetime. He’d seen plenty on TV and movies, of course. He and Tony were handed towels and the women left to allow them privacy to strip. Apparently without thinking that they might want their own rooms.

“I have a feeling they’re considering us a couple,” Stark explained, shrugging. He didn’t care, of course, and pulled off the shirt he was wearing, hanging it on a hanger before reaching for his belt buckle. “If you’re uncomfortable being naked together, we can ask for separate rooms.”

Peter saw a definite challenge in the billionaire’s expression and decided not to rise to it. _He_ shrugged, too.

“It’s fine,” he told the older man, affecting a nonchalance as he pulled his own shirt off. Of course, by then he’d had a couple of glasses of Champaign and was relaxed by the pampering they’d already been subjected to, so that might have had something to do with it, as well. He wasn’t a drinker and he was feeling the alcohol in his system loosening him up a bit. He reached past Tony to get a hanger for his shirt, not noticing the way Tony was looking at him. “I’m too cute to be shy.”

Fifteen-year-old Peter Parker might have blushed a brilliant shade of red, but twenty-one-year-old Peter was aware that he had a great physique, courtesy of the spider bite, and didn’t mind showing it off. Even if there was only an audience of one.

There was a snort of amusement, but Tony’s expression was unreadable.

“Yes, you are.”

Tony shook his head; watching as Peter hung his shirt, admiring without bothering to hide it the way the lean muscles moved under his skin as he did. Perfect was really the only word that he had to describe him. He felt himself beginning to react, and turned a little, thinking of puppies and old people as he pulled his pants and boxers off, hung them up, wrapping the towel around his waist and then stretching himself, belly (and somewhat aroused dick) down on the closest table.

Peter didn’t miss Tony’s reaction, of course, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he finished undressing and folded his jeans rather than hang them, setting them – and his boxers – on a stand near the closet. Only then did he wrap his towel around his waist before moving to the other bed and settling on it.

“They don’t expect us to sleep with the masseuse, right?” he asked, turning his head toward Tony. “I mean, I’ve _seen_ the movies.”

Tony chuckled, and relaxed a little.

“Pornos, most likely,” he told the younger man. “You’re safe. Unless you _want_ to, of course. Then it could probably be arranged.”

Before Peter could reply to that, there was a gentle tap on the door and a couple of men dressed in pure white slacks and t-shirts walked in. They separated, each coming to a table, and introduced themselves to their respective clients. Both were beautiful young men, but Tony didn’t think either could hold a candle to the guy on the other table. Stark watched as the other masseuse asked Peter if there was anything that he wanted focused on, specifically, and when Tony was asked the same question, both of them simply said ‘the works’.

Then they closed their eyes and gave themselves up, once more, to the professional pamperers.


	11. 11

That was great.”

Tony couldn’t help but agree, but his expression was as amused as it was anything. Peter had clearly enjoyed their spa night. After the massages had left them feeling about as relaxed as possible, they’d had wraps, and facials and all of these activities were accompanied by wine and cheese trays. Aware that he was driving and unwilling to do anything stupid that might endanger his young companion, Tony had laid off the alcohol, but he’d watched Peter drink more than was probably good for him – although to his credit, he plied him with as many finger foods as he could get him to eat to offset the wine.

By the time they left to head back to Tony’s car, he was _somewhat_ sober, but definitely more relaxed than the older man had ever seen him.

“It was nice, wasn’t it?” he agreed, walking Peter to the passenger side of the car to open his door and make sure he didn’t hit his head or something while getting in. “We should do it again, sometime. Make it our thing.”

He settled Peter into his seat and leaned over to buckle him in when the younger man struggled with the complicated (at the _moment_ ) technology that was a simple seatbelt. Peter brought his hand up to brush his fingers against Tony’s jaw, lightly.

“Yeah. You’re so smooth. I wonder how I’d look with a goatee…”

“Ridiculous,” Tony assured him, shivering at the touch and once more feeling his blood rushing to his groin. There was no way he was going to act on anything that Peter did that evening, however. Not with him intoxicated. “Let’s get you home.”

“Your home?” Peter asked, brown eyes slightly dazed – with alcohol or lust, Tony wasn’t completely certain.

And at the moment, it didn’t matter.

“No. That would be a bad idea.”

Tony moved away, made certain that Peter’s hands were inside the car and closed the door.

“Do you even know where I live?” Peter asked him when he settled himself behind the wheel.

“Of course I do.”

He started the car and felt a hand settling on his thigh. Peter sighed and closed his eyes.

“Thanks, Tony.”

Stark bit back a groan; a mixture of frustration and excitement and forced his expression to remain neutral – even though his crotch was definitely not.

“You’re welcome.”

They were silent as he drove them to Peter’s, and he pulled into the garage at the boy’s apartment building. Peter had a space, but since he didn’t have a _car,_ Tony parked his in that space and walked a wobbly Peter to the elevator and then down the hall.

“Coming in?” Peter asked, leaning against his door.

It was that or fall over, most likely.

“No.”

“And if I decide to make myself something to eat and burn down my kitchen…?”

Tony smiled at the attempt at flirting, because he had no trouble recognizing that that was what it was.

“Then I would have to find someone else to work on the nanites with. _Ria_ , maybe.”

Peter pouted, prettily.

“Come in, Tony.”

“You’ll keep your hands to yourself?”

“Yes.”

He proved it by running his fingers down the billionaire’s stomach, along the fabric of the t-shirt he was wearing. Which made Tony roll his eyes. He caught Peter’s hand and unlocked the apartment door for him.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Great idea…”

They walked into the living room and Tony looked around with interest, even as a hand went to Peter’s waist to keep him upright when he stumbled. Not something the normally graceful young man did very often. Or _ever_.

Peter’s place wasn’t messy, but it was definitely lived in and showed signs of it. The living room was dominated by a large sofa that had obviously seen better days, but still looked comfortable and inviting. The coffee table was littered with papers and notes, a few books and the young man’s old laptop, which was open but dormant. Clearly this was where he worked on the technology that he was perfecting with Tony. The kitchen was small, but there were all the usual appliances and there were six boxes of cereal on top of the fridge, mute testimony to what Peter usually started his day eating.

Tony’s gaze missed very little as he guided Peter into the open door that led to the bathroom.

“Brush your teeth,” he told the young man, leaning him against the sink – and then opening the medicine cabinet because it was an automatic reaction to a closed door for the billionaire.

There were the usual items; toothpaste, aspirin, eye drops, cotton swabs, razor and shaving cream and deodorant. He noticed with just a faint flutter of desire that Peter also had a bottle of lube, there. Tony didn’t have any trouble imagining Peter using it, wither. He pulled his thoughts from the gutter, and continued perusing the medicine cabinet. Aside from those common items, there were some that weren’t so common – including a thumb drive and a small paperback book that was written in what _looked_ like Japanese.

“Light reading?” he asked, sarcastically, holding the book up.

Peter shrugged, reaching for his toothbrush.

“Something like that.”

“You can read it?”

“Yeah. I had to learn, to be able to read the papers that this one guy – Fujiyama – wrote on nanotech. He was a genius, really,” Peter told the older man, as he put toothpaste on the toothbrush and wet it under the sink. “Had the idea for something similar to my original prototype way back in the seventies. He just didn’t have any way to bring it to life.”

“Huh.” Tony turned the book over and looked at the picture on the back but didn’t see any indication of what the subject of the book he was holding was. All he saw was a couple standing next to each other, clearly posing for the camera. “What’s this one about? More tech?”

Peter pulled the toothbrush from his mouth.

“It’s a Japanese romance novel…”

“Seriously?”

The boy rolled his eyes and nodded, turning his attention back to finishing what he was doing, while Tony opened the book and thumbed through the scribbles that he couldn’t read, looking in vain for pictures.

“Are you going to make me something to eat?” Peter asked, rinsing his mouth out and then his toothbrush.

“No. You shouldn’t have anything else in your stomach right now. Trust me. I’m going to put you to bed.”

“I’m not sleepy.”

“Too bad.” Stark caught his elbow with his hand and guided him out of the bathroom and into the only other room in the place. Peter’s bedroom. “Come on.”

He walked the younger man over to the bed, which was neatly made, although there were a couple of books on it – as well as the new laptop and a tablet. The stand by the bed had a bottle of water and a remote that went to the TV hanging on the wall. Tony moved the laptop and books and pushed Peter down to sit on the edge of the bed, where the boy sat, looking up at him.

“In the movies, this is where you’d kiss me.”

Tony groaned.

“You’re _killing_ me, Peter.”

Peter smiled and pulled his shirt off, once more revealing that perfect chest and stomach.

“One kiss.”

“Nope.”

Tony took his shirt from him and folded it before moving to drape it over the foot of the bed. By the time he turned back, Peter had kicked his shoes off, stood up and was pulling his pants down. He was leaning precariously, so Tony rolled his eyes and helped him, but while he didn’t bother to look away from Peter’s naked (and beautifully aroused) body, he didn’t touch him any more than was necessary to hold him more or less upright while he helped him finish undressing.

The boy stretched out on his bed – above the blankets – while Tony put his pants with the shirt, and when he turned back this time Peter was idly stroking himself, watching Tony, looking more delicious than ever.

“One kiss…”

“Are you always like this when you’re drunk?” Tony asked, ignoring the way his underwear were suddenly tightening.

Peter giggled, and let himself go, rolling onto his belly, playfully.

“I’ve never been drunk, before.”

“Ever?”

“It didn’t seem like a good idea,” he said, resting his head on his pillow, and slowly rutting himself against his bedspread, almost lazily, as he spoke. “I mean, I have a lot of secrets and didn’t want to give one away or something to the wrong person at the wrong time.”

“That makes sense.”

Tony was almost mesmerized, watching Peter’s rear move in time with his hips.

“ _You_ already know my secret,” Peter pointed out. “So I guess it’s alright. This time.”

“Your secret’s safe with me,” Tony assured him. “And, unfortunately, so is your virtue.” He tore his eyes from that tight-looking rear and managed to pull the blankets back under Peter’s lithe body. “Come on, get under the blankets before you catch a chill.”

“You don’t like guys?” Peter asked, doing what he was told, but not shy about brushing his body against Tony’s arms and hand. “I thought I was getting a vibe…”

“I like guys just fine,” Stark confirmed, covering him, warmly. “Believe me.”

Peter’s head went back to his pillow, but his eyes were on Tony.

“Then you don’t like _me_ …”

Was he this difficult when _he_ was drunk? No wonder he drove everyone around him crazy. Tony shook his head, leaning over Peter and holding the blankets, tucking them carefully around him.

“I like you,” he assured him. “I like you a lot.”

“But not like that?”

“This isn’t seventh grade. Peter,” Tony told him, gesturing to the bulge in his jeans. “I like you like _that_ , trust me.”

Peter’s eyes went to Tony’s midsection, but the older man’s hands on the blankets had him pinned, so he couldn’t reach out and touch him. Not without forcing the issue, and he wasn’t up to doing that, just then. Besides, there was a warm lassitude spreading through him, just then, and he was suddenly really sleepy.

“Then why don’t you spend the night?”

“Because it’s not the only way I like you,” Tony told him. “And if you and I spend the night, together, I want you to be sober.”

“I might not _want_ to, when I’m sober…”

Tony nodded.

“I know.” He leaned over, and now he pressed a tender kiss against Peter’s forehead, and then another against one eye, forcing it closed. “Get some sleep, alright?”

“Tony…”

The eye that closed never opened, and the other closed, too.

“Hmm?”

“Good night.”

Stark smiled and couldn’t help himself. His lips found the boy’s cheek and he held himself there for a long moment, while his fingers threaded through Peter’s hair, lightly. The motion and the touch were enough to put Peter to sleep, because the body under the blankets that had been so tense was now relaxed, and the breathing in Tony’s ear was soon steady and peaceful.

The billionaire pulled back with another kiss.

“Good night, honey.”

He let himself out of the room, turning off the light and closing the door behind him.

Doing the right thing sucked balls, he decided, as he headed for the door.


	12. 12

Peter’s head was still pounding when he answered the knock at his door the next morning. Bleary-eyed, he found Ria on the other side of the door, and his boss smiled, amused, when she saw him. Without permission, she reached out and ran her fingers through his newly shorn hair, and along his cheek.

“How is it that you’re managing to look gorgeously done up while at the same time looking like shit?”

Peter rolled his eyes and moved out of the way so she could enter his apartment.

“I went to the spa last night.”

“Instead of working with Tony?”

“ _With_ Tony,” he corrected. “There was a lot of alcohol involved.”

She chuckled, heartlessly.

“You got drunk and I missed it?”

“Yeah.”

Her expression turned sly and she looked around.

“Is he here?”

Peter shook his head.

“No.”

He’d woken in his bed with a splitting headache, a dry mouth and certain from the moisture coating his stomach and hips that he’d wet himself. Further investigation revealed that sometime in the night he must have had a hell of a wet dream, because his sheets and skin were covered in drying semen. Luckily for him, he’d managed to shower and put on a pair of sweats before Ria had come knocking on his door.

“Did _he_ get drunk, too?” she asked, guiding him to his table and pressing him down into a chair.

“I don’t think so. He brought me home and was pretty sober.”

Peter couldn’t focus enough around the headache to remember everything that had happened in his apartment the night before, but he remembered trying to seduce Tony – and the older man putting him to bed.

_Alone._

What must he be thinking? And Peter wondered, as he watched Ria start brewing him some coffee, if it would have been better if the billionaire had allowed it and he’d woken up in Tony’s arms that morning, or if Tony had once more proven himself a genius by rebuffing his advances.

“That was responsible of him.”

“Yeah.”

She smiled, sitting across from him as the smell of coffee began filling the kitchen.

“You look good. I love your hair.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you get massages?”

“And pedicures and manicures, facials and all kinds of things that I’ve never had done to me, before.”

She reached out and caught his hand, looking at his nails.

“Fancy.”

He smiled.

“It was your idea. I used your gift card.”

“I’m a genius. Next time, though, maybe don’t drink so much. Your eyes are red.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He took his hand back. “Did you need anything? Or is this a social visit?”

“I was just making sure that _you_ didn’t need anything from _me_.”

Peter was good about giving Ria updates on where they were in the progress he was making with Tony on the tech, but she wasn’t just his boss, as far as she was concerned, and she wanted to make sure he was still managing the workload without feeling too stressed.

He dropped his head, dramatically, into his hands.

“You could kill me, now, with poisoned coffee or something, and save me the trouble of facing Tony Stark hungover…”

Ria smirked and got up to pour him a cup of coffee.

“That’s self-inflicted, Peter,” she told him. “Another life lesson for you. See how that works?”

He groaned; now he was getting a momma lecture on top of it all.

“I hate life lessons.”

“I know. Drink your coffee and I’ll make you something to eat.”

She wasn’t completely heartless, after all, and he was her favorite.

“Yes, ma’am.”

><><><>

Tony beat Peter to the workroom that afternoon.

He was sitting at the table, waiting, when the door opened, and Peter walked in. The younger man was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and a sheepish look that made him look even younger – and adorable.

“Good afternoon,” he said, cheerfully, not missing the fact that Peter’s eyes were still a little red-rimmed. “How’s the head?”

“Better than it was this morning,” he replied, sitting down. “I’m sorry about that.”

Tony smiled.

“I’m not. You had a good time. And you got home safe. So no harm, no foul…”

“Yeah, but I was pretty forward… and I said – and _did_ – some things that I-“

“It’s fine, Peter,” Tony interrupted. “I loved it.”

“You _did_?”

“Having an alluring younger man coming onto me is fun any time. Having it be _you_? Someone who I admire _and_ am attracted to? Even better.”

“We didn’t do anything, though, right?”

“Nope. I was a perfect gentleman.”

“Okay.”

“ _You_ , however… were a _beast_.”

Peter shook his head, not missing the amusement in Tony’s eyes and knowing that he was in for some teasing. He smiled, though, almost amused, himself, at just how relaxed the older man was. His drunkenness wasn’t ever going to be repeated as far as Peter was concerned, but he’d let Tony have his fun this time.

Besides, he probably deserved to be teased after the way he’d acted.

“I know.”

“Kept coming onto me… Got _naked_ …”

Peter blushed.

“I know.”

“I saw your pee-pee…”

The boy snorted, covering his eyes with his hands.

“You’re _killing_ me, Tony. Besides, I’ve seen yours, too. And I saw it first.”

And had been mature enough to not mention it.

“ _Mine_ wasn’t hard, though. You’re so into me…”

“What are you, ten?”

The smile faded and Stark leaned in close, his eyes suddenly burning with something other than humor. Something that Peter felt himself responding to, almost immediately.

“No. I’m an adult and you’re an adult, and I’m incredibly attracted to you. I just didn’t realize _how_ attracted until I had to force myself to walk away last night.”

Peter hesitated, and that was signal enough to Tony. He leaned back, just a little. “However, I also _like_ you very much and I have no intention of doing anything to frighten you away – or ruin what we’re rebuilding between us. So I’m going to be patient, and woo you.”

“Woo me, huh?”

“Yup.”

“How?”

“That’s my business.” Tony smiled, and reached out to brush his fingertips against Peter’s cheek for just a moment. “Are you ready to get some work done? Or is the head still hurting too much to focus?”

“No, I’m good.”

It wasn’t his head that was taking away his focus, just then.

The billionaire nodded.

“Glad to hear it.” He moved to one of the displays and started pulling up the information that they’d left on the last time they’d been working on. “But… I _do_ have a question, before I allow the subject to drop.”

Peter looked at him, but Tony didn’t look up from what he was doing.

“Yes?”

“Just so I know how to focus my fantasy when I’m in the shower, next, do you want to be on top or on bottom?”

There was another snort of amusement, and Peter pulled his laptop from his bag, quiet for so long that Tony decided he wasn’t going to answer. Then he did, though.

“I’d be willing to switch it up, sometimes, but I prefer the bottom – to avoid hurting my partner if I got too excited.”

Which wasn’t something that Tony had considered, but Peter obviously needed to – with his enhanced strength. The billionaire nodded and turned his full attention to what he was doing.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”


	13. 13

Despite the conversation that began their workday, they weren’t _too_ distracted while they worked together. Yes, Tony’s hand might have brushed against Peter’s hand once or twice while they discussed how they wanted to configure the tech they were developing, but that might have been completely _innocent_.

Peter had his doubts, though.

When they were wrapping up for the evening, Tony sat on the edge of the table, watching as Peter put his laptop away.

“What are you doing Saturday night?”

“I don’t know. Why?”

“I want to spend time with you – away from the workroom, I mean.”

Peter smiled.

“You spent _last night_ with me. Away from the workroom.”

“It was still a worknight. _Technically_. I had fun, though, and I was hoping you did, too. Enough to want to try it again, sometime.”

The younger hesitated, deciding that this was step one of wooing him.

“What did you have in mind?”

“A movie? My place.”

“Let me think about it.”

“Of course.” Tony’s bottom lip vanished between his teeth. “We’re beyond what I did to you?” he asked. “I mean, you said you forgave me. Did you mean it? Or did I hear it wrong because I’d been drinking…?”

“We’re beyond it.”

He _thought_ he was, anyway, but knew that he wouldn’t be hesitating if there wasn’t still uncertainty. If he didn’t have the history with Tony Stark that he had, and the older, sexy, man had asked him out, he would have said yes without a second thought, he was sure. That couldn’t be on _Tony_ , though. Because Peter had told Tony he forgave him.

“Then think about Saturday, okay? Let me know. I’ll be cool and won’t get naked and sprawl on my bed with my pee-pee in my hand.”

Which made Peter smile, as he must have intended.

“I’ll let you know.”

“See you tomorrow, then.”

“Yes. I’ll bring dinner.”

><><><>

Despite the late hour, Peter splurged on an Uber and went to Ria’s from the tower.

He knew she’d be awake and that she wouldn’t mind him coming by; she didn’t sleep much more than _he_ did, really; one of those things that they had in common that allowed them to focus so much of their time and effort onto the technology that they both loved so much. He _did_ , however, look up at the window to her apartment before letting himself into the building, just to make sure there was a light on.

She answered on the first soft knock, and her expression was a mixture of pleased surprise and worry.

“Peter. Come in.”

He smiled, to silently let her know that it wasn’t a dire emergency that had brought him to her doorstep so late, and he could see her relax, marginally, when she moved to allow him to enter her apartment.

“Busy?”

“I’m _always_ busy, you know that.”

Which made him smirk.

“Too busy for me?” he asked, making a show of looking around. “Got a new boytoy hiding under the sofa?”

She chuckled, closing the door.

“If there was one here, he’d be out in plain sight for all the world to see. Coffee?”

“Sure.”

He sat at her table while she headed for the stove. Ria had an old fashioned percolator that she made her coffee in, telling him and anyone else who made any comment about it (and _everyone_ who saw it had, of course) that it made better coffee than any of the new-fangled creations that technology could bring up, nowadays.

Peter had to admit that her coffee always turned out better than his.

He glanced at a stack of papers on her table; the work that he’d pulled her from with his arrival. It was a patent application for another product that they were working on for her company. This one a simple – and brilliant – design for getting shoes clean before walking into a home or stepping into a taxi or car. Geared for dog poop, of course, but it would work on mud, snow and all kinds of materials that people in every city in the world encountered.

It would probably make Ria and her company another fortune.

Peter approved.

“Did you work at the tower, tonight?” she asked, walking over and sitting down now that the coffee was started.

She placed a package of Oreos on the table between them and opened it.

“Yes. It’s going well – but we hit a snag, and it’s taking a little longer than I thought it would.”

“Anything I need to know about?”

“Nah. It’s nothing serious. Just trying to make sure the nanites go back where they belong when they’re retracted. Right now, all the simulations that we’re running have them scattering like cockroaches as soon as they’re given the retraction command.”

“Which would make it difficult to reuse them.”

He smiled, taking a cookie.

“Yes. And the technology is too expensive to make it one and done.”

She nodded, watching him.

“What brings you by, then?”

He shrugged.

“Personal stuff… if you’re in the mood.”

“You know I’m here for you. What’s up?”

“Tony asked me out.”

The older woman frowned. Not annoyed, or even suspicious; she was just a little surprised, and a lot protective.

“On a _date_?” she clarified.

“I think so. Movies at his place. On Saturday.”

“Is that a good idea? What with the history that the two of you two share?”

“I _would_ say no, immediately, except that we talked that out, and he told me that he was sorry – and I told him I forgave him. So I can’t hold our history against him, can I?”

“Did you _mean_ it?”

“Yes.” Peter groaned. “I needed to get over it. I didn’t take psychology, but even _I’m_ smart enough to know that those kinds of things will come back to haunt me – and bite me in the rear – if I don’t. He and I are working well together, so we must be beyond it. But then he mentioned wanting to woo me, and asked me out, and I froze.”

She smiled.

“Because it’s Tony Stark, or because you haven’t been on a date in over a year?”

“I think because it’s Tony,” Peter admitted. “What if he and I become an item, or something, and I get hooked on him and then he vanishes on me, again?”

“You’re not fifteen, anymore, Peter,” she reminded him. “And from what I can see, he isn’t that same guy, either. Are you attracted to him?”

“Yes.” That much was certain. “But I _shouldn’t_ be. _He’s_ a playboy, and I’m not.”

“You’re not looking for someone to settle down and have a family with, though, right?”

“No. I’m too busy for that, right now.”

She shrugged.

“Then have some fun. Let him woo you, if you’re interested. Don’t let it get in the way of your work, though. Pepper and I are getting ready to sign contracts, soon, and I don’t want you two fornicating on my conference table.”

That made Peter blush, and she got up, again, to go get their coffee.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he told her.

“You do that.” She handed him a mug of her strong brew and then seated herself across from him, her rich dark eyes looking at him with pure affection. “Can I give you some motherly advice? Since your own isn’t here to give it to you?”

Peter smiled.

“You’ve been doing that since I was sixteen. You’re going to start asking for permission, now?”

“If I _ask_ , then you have a little more duty to pay attention than if I just rattle off on my own.”

“True.” He picked up another cookie, pulling it apart to eat the center, first. “I could use some advice.”

“Do whatever makes you _happy_ ,” she told him. “You’re a fairly serious guy – which is good when it comes to taking on an enormous project like ours and seeing it through – but you hold back, too, in matters of the heart. Almost certainly because you’re afraid to put yourself out there and be hurt, again.” She frowned. “I don’t know that you weren’t like that before you met Tony Stark, because it could have come from losing your parents at such a young age, as well, but it probably didn’t help, what he did to you, I mean.”

“Yeah.”

He figured that, too, but he knew Ria had minored in psychology, so her insights were a lot more valid than anything that he could make up.

“So, if Tony can show you how to be a little irreverent and teach you to have fun, then go for it. Just be safe. No drunken carousing, no seedy bars, and I meant it when I said I don’t want you two humping on my tables…”

Peter smirked.

“I’ll make sure to let him know.”

She shook her head.

“You don’t have to; I’ll tell him myself, next time I see him.”

><><><>

Peter stayed at Ria’s for a short while; mainly catching her up on what he and Tony had done in the workroom that day, but he knew that she had other things to do besides reassure him about his love life and lack thereof, so when he finished his coffee – and half the package of Oreos – he thanked her and excused himself to go home.

“Let me know what happens,” Ria told him, walking him to the door. She smirked at his expression. “Not all the details,” she added, quickly. “Just whatever I _need_ to know.”

He nodded.

“I will. Thanks.”

“Anytime, Peter; you know that.”

He pulled his phone out as he walked to the elevator and hesitated only for a moment before dialing Tony’s number from memory.

Stark answered on the first ring, and Peter knew that FRIDAY had already told him who was calling.

_“Are you home, safe?”_

“Not, yet. I’m on my way there, now.”

_“Everything alright?”_

“It’s fine, Tony. I just stopped off at Ria’s place for some coffee and to update her on our progress.”

There was just a moment of hesitation, but the older man’s voice was amused when he spoke, next.

_“Our progress on the nanotech? Or my progress on wooing you?”_

“Both.”

_“And…?”_

“I’m free Saturday.”

_“Good.”_ He sounded a lot more pleased than the reply made it seem. It made Peter smile. _“Do you want me to come pick you up? Save you the cab fare?”_

“You could do that. Thank you.”

_“We’ll finalize things, tomorrow,”_ Tony told him. “ _I’ll see you at six?”_

“Yes.”

_“Unless you want me to come get you_ now _…?”_

Peter’s smile broadened, even though he was now in the elevator and no one saw it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at six.”

_“Good night, honey.”_

The younger man felt a shiver go through him at the endearment. He hesitated, only a moment.

“Good night, Tony.”


	14. 14

Peter was a bit of a wreck by the time six o’clock Saturday rolled around.

It wasn’t Tony’s fault; the older man was being great. He was relaxed, and clearly pleased at the idea of having movie night with Peter. He asked what he wanted to watch, pointing out that it could be anything; new releases weren’t a problem with Tony’s network, backed by FRIDAY. Peter had chosen a comedy that he’d been planning on going to see but hadn’t had time, and Tony had suggested that Peter not eat, first, and he’d make them dinner as well.

Peter had simply gone along with the idea. After Tony confirmed that he didn’t have any allergies, the older man turned his attention back to the experiment that they were running; which was a final digital trial before they were ready to start the 3-D printing that would get them ready for their first live attempt. Peter, however, had more trouble focusing on that, and was very much aware of the way Tony was leaning over him to look over his shoulder at their results.

When the knock came on the door, Peter jumped to his feet, almost knocking over the dining chair that he’d been sitting in and righting it before he headed for his door and opened it.

And frowned.

Tony was at the door, sure enough, but he was dressed in a tuxedo, looking as if he was ready to go to the opera, and not back to his place for dinner and a movie.

“I thought it was _casual_ …?” Peter said, unable to not admire just how good Tony looked in a tux.

Delicious.

Especially when he smiled, warmly, and then handed Peter a single red rose.

“It is. I’ll change when we get back to my place. I just wanted to make sure you understood how much I’m looking forward to tonight.”

Peter’s smile was probably more relief than anything, but he took the rose and automatically put his face into the fragrant petals.

“Thank you.”

Tony’s eyes were as warm as his smile.

“My pleasure. Are you ready?”

“Do I look okay?” he asked, uncertainly.

He was obviously not a match for Tony Stark in a tuxedo, but he’d taken him at his word and had simply put on jeans and a polo shirt.

“You’re perfect, honey. C’mon.” He held the door while Peter reached for his keys and his phone, and then offered him his arm. “I almost brought the limo,” he told the younger man. “Driver and all. Just to really impress you. But I didn’t want to share you with anyone, tonight.”

Peter wondered if he had always been such a smooth talker, or if that was something that he got better at over the years. It didn’t matter, though, because it sounded sincere, and Tony’s expressive eyes certainly made Peter believe that he was going to be the center of the billionaire’s attention that evening.

Which was how he wanted it, if he was being completely honest with himself.

“You look nice,” he ventured.

“Just nice?” Tony asked with a smile as they walked to the elevator.

“ _Pretty_ nice?”

“Handsome?”

“Yes.”

“Debonair?”

“Sure.”

“ _Sexy_?”

Peter rolled his eyes, amused.

“How many adjectives are you going to throw out in your quest to fish for compliments?”

“How many _are_ there?”

“You’re all of those – and probably more.”

Once again, Tony had parked in Peter’s parking spot. The expensive sportscar wasn’t a limo, but it was flashy and stood out among the sedans and SUVs that were parked around it. Peter wondered as Tony opened his door for him where he would have parked if Peter had a car to use the space – and decided that he’d just illegally park wherever he wanted to – and then pay someone to keep it from getting towed while he’d gone to fetch Peter.

“This is going to be great,” Tony told him as he got behind the wheel and started the car. “Dinner’s almost ready – just waiting on the final touches.”

“Nothing too fancy, though?”

“Nope. Lasagna. Everyone likes that, right?”

“I do.”

“Good. Because it’s one of my specialties – and you’re going to love it.”

He was obviously trying to put Peter at ease, and it was working. The younger man reached out and put his hand on Tony’s thigh, lightly. His other hand still holding the rose that he’d been given.

“Thank you.”

Tony smiled, but didn’t say anything. Whenever he wasn’t shifting, though, his hand went to rest over Peter’s, almost possessively.

><><><><><>

Tony’s apartment smelled amazing. The hearty, rich smell of baking pasta permeated the room and made the place seem far homier than it seemed possible for someplace so luxurious.

“Make yourself at home,” Stark told him as they walked in. “I’m going to go change into something more comfortable.”

Peter nodded, walking around and looking at the artwork on the walls, and wandering his way into the kitchen. Considering all the work that went into making lasagna, the room was surprisingly clean. Peter loved the hominess of a kitchen, though, and leaned against the island, breathing in the rich aroma of dinner.

“You could get yourself something to drink,” Tony said from behind him.

Peter smiled, turning to look over his shoulder.

“I’m debating if I want to go through your garbage.”

“Looking for…?”

“A box for a frozen lasagna – it would definitely ruin the moment if I found one, though, wouldn’t it?”

Stark smirked.

“All _handmade_ ,” he assured the younger man, walking by him to head for the cupboard. “Wine?”

“No. I want to end the evening sober.” He’d already proven how well he could handle wine and champaign. “Coffee?”

“I can do that.” Tony had changed into sweats and a t-shirt, purposely dressing even more casual than Peter to make up to the younger man for over dressing, earlier – although he’d made his point, perfectly. He put a hand, easily, on Peter’s hip as he moved past him to reach the coffee pot. “I still have to throw the salad together.”

“Need help?”

Tony shook his head.

“No. It’s easy. Just some company.”

They made small talk while Tony threw a simple salad together. As they’d been working together the last month or so, they had both shared a little of their histories; Tony was interested in Ria, of course, but he didn’t pry too deeply in his quest to learn too much about their early years, since they included Peter still dealing with the damage that Tony’s abandonment had wrought. He was open, though, with his own history when Peter showed interest. Beyond what the media knew and shared and what the tabloids spread as he dealt with his breakup with Pepper – amicable as it was – and the Avengers reconnecting, eventually – although Tony admitted to Peter that there was still some awkwardness between him and Steve Rogers.

“You’re much better at forgiveness than I am, honey,” Stark told Peter as they finished eating. “I’ll have to watch you, closely, to see how it’s done.”

Peter shrugged.

“You have to decide to move on and not dwell in what happened,” Peter replied, honestly. “I wanted to go forward more than I wanted to get stuck in the mud of the past.”

“So _wise_ …” Tony said, smiling, softly, and reaching across the table to touch Peter’s hand. “Do you want more?”

He’d already had seconds, but if the boy wanted more, Tony would stuff him to the gills – if that made him happy.

“No. It was good, though. Thank you.”

“Go sit down in the living room. I’ll do the dishes and join you in a minute.”

Peter didn’t even argue, although he would have offered to help. Instead he stretched and got up, feeling full of comfort food and warmed by the conversation and the company. He walked over to the sofa and sat down, kicking off his shoes and tucking his feet up under himself as he waited, cheek against the leather of the sofa, watching Tony putter in the kitchen.

It was only a few minutes before he heard the dishwasher close, and Tony wiped his hands on a towel before walking out to join him.

“Comfortable?”

He smiled, because Peter nodded, but didn’t even lift his head from the sofa. He was pleased to see he’d taken his shoes off and had tucked himself into a ball, looking like a lazy feline more than anything else, just then.

“I’m fine…” Peter told him. He patted the spot beside him. “Ready?”

“In a minute.”

Tony went into his bedroom and returned a moment later, carrying a comforter taken from his bed. He draped it over Peter from behind, and then walked around the sofa and sat down, as well, close to Peter but not touching him.

The younger man had his own ideas about that, however, and he scooted closer as he tucked the blanket around Tony’s other side, seemingly unconcerned at the fact that the motion put him in plenty of contact with Tony’s belly and chest.

“Better?” Peter asked, looking at him, brown eyes unreadable.

“It’s perfect,” Tony assured him. He slid his arm behind the young man’s body, between him and the leather of the sofa, and Peter melted into his side with a soft sigh that made Tony tremble. “You’re perfect.”

Peter snorted, softly.

“Hardly.”

He smiled at the compliment, though, and put his head on Tony’s shoulder.

“Ready for the movie?”

“Yes.”

“FRIDAY? Start the movie.”

The lights around them went out and the TV went on. Peter’s hand came to rest on Tony’s chest, and the billionaire covered it with his own, very aware of the body flush against him, but relaxing further as the movie played on.

Not as much as Peter, however. A long workweek, a solid homecooked meal and a warm body to cuddle against proved too much for him. Before the movie was over, he was asleep next to Tony, and snoring lightly in his ear.

The billionaire didn’t notice, immediately, but when he did, he smiled to himself. That was perfect. Not that he was hoping Peter would fall asleep, but it was proof that the younger man really _was_ comfortable with him, and that was all too the good.

><><><>

He waited until the movie was finished, and then woke him with a soft touch, fingers brushing his cheek.

“Peter?”

“Hmmm?”

Tony smiled.

“Are you _sleeping_ …?”

“No. Just resting my eyes.”

“For the last twenty minutes?”

Peter opened his eyes, looking right into Tony’s rich brown eyes.

“I feel asleep?”

“You did.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” He brought his hand up, brushing his fingertips through Peter’s hair. “Can I kiss you?”


	15. 15

Peter looked up at him, sleepily, and Tony was mesmerized when the younger man’s tongue came out, licking his lower lip.

“Yes.”

Tony leaned forward; his fingers holding Peter’s head in place, as he tilted his own so he could brush his lips softly against Peter’s.

He felt a shiver go through him at the soft moan that escaped Peter’s lips, captured by his own. Even better; he felt the same tremble go through the younger man, and Peter’s hand came to rest on Tony’s thigh for support.

It was Peter who pulled back, but not too far. Just enough that he could look up at the billionaire, his eyes warm.

“That was nice.”

Tony smiled.

“Yes.”

_“Another?”_

“I could be convinced.”

Their lips met, again, and this time it deepened – and Tony felt Peter’s tongue brush lightly against Tony’s lower lip. The older man smiled into the kiss, and it was he who pulled away, this time.

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

“Not, yet.”

Tony chuckled, and slid his hand along the boy’s chest and stomach.

“It was a good evening, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Feeling wooed, yet?”

Peter’s smile was cheerful.

“ _Starting_ to.”

“Good.”

“I should go home.”

“You don’t _need_ to,” Tony told him, noting that he still looked more asleep than awake. “I have a guest room; you can stay there, and in the morning we can go to breakfast before I take you home.”

“So would that make it two dates? Or just one really long one?”

“It’s one date if you sleep in _my_ bed. It’s two if you sleep in the guest room.”

“I’d sleep in your bed. But you might not be comfortable on the _sofa_ …”

Tony rolled his eyes, but he was amused.

“You’re so beautiful. I’d give up my bed for you, if you asked.”

Peter leaned forward and kissed his chin, then his lips, once more.

“I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“But you’ll stay?”

“Yes.” He was pretty tired and besides, he didn’t really want to leave. “In the _guest room_.”

“I’ll hold you for a while, first, though.”

“I’d like that.”

Tony ran his hand under Peter’s shirt, his palm flat against the younger man’s stomach, feeling the taut muscles under the skin when Peter shifted just a little, allowing him better access to his body.

“Do you like that?” Stark asked, caressing him.

“Yes.”

A soft kiss and a low noise of approval.

Another caress, and Tony debated going north or south, and decided to run his hand along Peter’s chest, smiling when Peter gasped as his fingers found the boy’s nipple.

“You’re so responsive,” Tony murmured, approvingly. He could feel himself getting aroused but ignored it. It felt good, but he wasn’t so desperate that he couldn’t enjoy the sensations that were coursing through him. “So perfect.”

Peter’s hand moved from Tony’s thigh and Tony didn’t know if it was on purpose or not, but fingers brushed against the slowly hardening flesh of his groin as the boy found Tony’s shirt and pulled it out of his sweats.

“Feels good?” Peter asked, softly, tilting his head and brushing a kiss against Tony’s shoulder.

“Yes.”

“I’m so into you…” Peter murmured, biting Tony’s shoulder, lightly, through the fabric of the t-shirt he was wearing.

“You _could_ be…” the billionaire told him, tilting his head back, open invitation for Peter to mouth his neck and jaw, as well. “Say the word.”

Peter chuckled at the way Tony turned his words around – and shivered, too, though, because he could tell that he meant it. And it was tempting as hell.

“No. Not yet,” he whispered, his lips peppering kisses along the length of Tony’s neck, nibbling his ear. “Our first time together I want to be on bottom. But not tonight… okay?”

Tony nodded, although he couldn’t help the slight surge of disappointment that went through him.

“I can wait, honey,” he assured him. His hand slid south, now, and ended up on the bulge in Peter’s jeans. He winced when Peter’s teeth bit his ear, a little harder than intended, at the contact, but it didn’t stop him from tracing the length of the young man through the denim. “Not _forever_ , though. Please…”

“No. Not forever,” Peter agreed.

He allowed his hand to slide down to Tony’s lap, now, too, drawn there by the desire to feel just how excited he was making Tony. He found the proof easily, and his fingers caressed him through his sweats until Tony’s hips began to move on their own in response to the motions.

The older man groaned, and his hand left Peter’s lap so he could wrap both arms around Peter’s skinny frame, holding him close and pinning his hand between them, stopping him from what he was doing.

“I’m going to have to call it…” he murmured into Peter’s ear. “If you keep that up, I’ll either explode or strip you down and have my way with you, here and now.”

Peter chuckled, weakly, and buried his face in the crook between Tony’s shoulder and neck, listening to their hearts pound, excitedly, and pulling his hand out from between them so he could hold Tony, too.

“Okay…”

“It’s definitely bedtime.”

“You’re going to send me to bed hard? _Again_?” Peter complained.

“I’m going to hold you right here until we’re both sensible, again, and _then_ I’m going to put you to bed,” he corrected. He turned his head to press a kiss against Peter’s hair. “I’ll even _tuck_ you in.”

“And kiss me goodnight?”

“Yes.”

Peter shifted in Tony’s grip a little, bringing his leg over the other man and straddling him, now on his lap. Tony made an approving noise at the position – even though the intimacy did nothing to soothe either of their arousals – and he slid his hands down Peter’s sides to cup his ass through his jeans.

“I could get used to this…” Peter murmured, his face still in Tony’s neck.

“Good.”

“So this was a _real_ date?”

“If you’re good with calling it that.”

“It was nice. Thank you.”

Tony smiled.

“Feeling wooed, now?”

“Starting to.”

“Get used to it.”

“Are we going to finish the prototype Monday?” Peter asked, changing the subject to allow them both a chance to cool off a little.

“No talking shop on date night…” Tony told him. “We can discuss anything not work-related, but if you bring it up, then I’m going to get distracted – and I’m easily distracted by that kind of thing and you know it. Date night is my chance to focus on _you_ and making you happy.”

Peter smiled, even though Tony couldn’t see it.

“And making me yours?”

The older man shrugged.

“I’m going to try. I’ll probably have to let you have some say in things, though…”

“Probably,” Peter agreed.

He wasn’t against the idea – as long as Tony Stark didn’t turn out to be one of those crazy obsessive boyfriends that the horror movies began by introducing.

He relaxed against the billionaire even further, now, and the rest of him was beginning to relax, too. He couldn’t feel his pulse racing through his penis, anymore. He could tell Tony had softened, considerably, as well, and the older man hugged him close.

“Bedtime, honey. Before you get me worked up, again.”

“Okay.”

Peter shifted, moving off Tony’s lap and then off the sofa. When Tony stood up, though, he caught the boy’s hand and walked with him into the guest room.

“There’s a new toothbrush in the bathroom, all the other things you might need. I’ll go find you something to sleep in. It’ll be big, but loose is more comfortable for sleeping, anyway.”

Presuming he didn’t plan on sleeping _naked_. Which was fine, too, but Tony wanted to give him a choice.

“Yeah.”

Peter liked the idea of sleeping in Tony’s clothes – despite the fact that he normally didn’t bother with pajamas.

While Tony went to get him something to wear, Peter took a look around the bathroom, locating toiletries and a couple of towels. He decided to take a quick shower before bed and found Tony standing at the bathroom door, leaning against the frame, when he got out. The older man’s eyes were lingering on his body, and Peter smiled, shyly, but didn’t cover himself as he reached for his towel.

“You’re beautiful…” Tony told him, honestly. “You know that, right?”

“Tell me, again,” Peter said. “I like to hear it.”

Stark stepped up to him, taking the towel away from him, and starting to dry Peter’s hair with it.

“You’re lovely. Wet and naked and just how I imagined you.”

“You keep that up and I’m going to-“

“I know. Sorry.” Tony kissed him, then, and quickly but efficiently dried him off, not even lingering at his midsection. “Come on, Peter honey… I’ll put you to bed.”

The boy followed, and Tony watched as he pulled on lounge pants that he’d brought him, but ignored the t-shirt. Then Tony pulled the blankets back and Peter slid under them, his beautiful eyes watching as Tony covered him warmly.

“Thanks, Tony.”

“You are most welcome.” He leaned over and kissed him, tenderly. “Call if you need anything.”

“I’m fine.”

“Yes, you are.”

Peter smiled.

“Good night.”

“Good night.” Tony stood up. “You know where my room is, though… if you get lonely.”

“True.”

“I’m just saying…” He winked, though, to assure the younger man that he was joking – _somewhat_. “Sleep well.”

Then he turned off the light and left, feeling _much_ better, this time, than he had the last time he’d forced himself away from Peter’s bed.

Of course, he was still under his roof and he could look forward to waking up and seeing him in the morning, so that was a plus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas! (or whatever - if any - that you celebrate)
> 
> This is a bit of a slow burn, I know - especially for me - but we're getting there, I promise.


	16. 16

Monday morning found Peter chatting with Ria, updating her on what he and Tony were planning for the next week. Which was basically more of the same as the week before – only they were getting _really_ close to being ready to print out some of the nantites and get an actual practical trial started.

“How long?”

“Next week, if everything goes right.”

She frowned.

“And you’re still planning on trying it on yourself?”

“After we try it on a _mannequin_. With pressure sensors so we’ll know if there will be any danger to the wearer,” he added quickly to keep her from worrying. “Don’t worry; Tony’s already voiced the same concern about human trial and that human being _me_. He won’t let us try it until the tech is exactly right. _And_ verified safe.”

“Good.” She looked satisfied at that. Then his boss gave him a sly look. “Speaking of the devil; how did the date go?”

Peter smiled.

“It went well.”

“And…?”

“And we’re going to do it, again.”

“You _did it_?”

Peter rolled his eyes, amused. Everyone was _ten_. Jesus.

“Not _it_ ,” he specified. “The _date_. We’re going to have another date. Get your mind out of the gutter, Ria.”

She smirked; pleased that she’d been able to tease him and make him smile.

“Anything you guys need from me?”

“Nothing I can think of.”

“I’d like to see the results from your initial trials before you test it on yourself.”

“I’ll make sure you do.”

“When is your next date with Stark?”

“Saturday.”

“Another movie?”

“I don’t know. I told him he could choose.”

“Because you don’t have any preference?” She asked. “Or because you’re curious what he comes up with?”

“Both.” Peter shrugged. “It’s fun to be surprised, _and_ I’m interested to see what he comes up with.”

Sunday morning, he’d woken to the smell of coffee and omelets and had found Tony perched on the edge of his bed with a breakfast tray. Complete with another rose in a vase.

They’d eaten in Peter’s bed, had fooled around a little, and then Tony had driven him home, since Peter needed to get some things done at home before Monday. Tony had offered to help with them, but the younger man didn’t think the billionaire would enjoy laundry, cleaning the bathroom and making sure all the crumbs were out of his sheets, and had kissed him soundly and thanked him for a good time.

“We can do this, again?” Tony had asked.

“Yes. I’d like that,” Peter had replied, honestly. “Let me know.”

“You’ll let me decide what to do?”

Peter had nodded.

“Nothing _too_ crazy, though…” he’d cautioned. “No flying me across the country – or the _planet_ – just to go to dinner or something like that. I’d rather have quiet time just with you.”

“Fair.” Tony had kissed him, again. “Saturday morning, next week. We’ll spend the day together.”

Which had made Peter smile.

“Sounds good.”

><><><>>><<>

The next Friday morning found Tony and Peter standing inside a small conference room in the tower. Sitting at the table, watching them, were Ria and Pepper – and two of the tech guys from Stark Industries as well as Ria’s two senior engineers. All were silent while Peter pulled up a display and ran the small group through a series of tests that he and Tony had organized the day before. The display showed a swarm of white material extending like a flood of milk running down the chest and arms of a mannequin.

There were several murmured comments when the flood stopped all at the same time, forming a tight-fitting barrier of protection along the mannequin and holding in place.

“And it’s _safe_?” Pepper asked.

“The sensors we have on the subject were designed to test for any kind of pressure,” Tony confirmed. “As near as we can tell, it’s safe to move on to the next step.”

“Which is a living person,” Peter said, unable to hide just how excited that he was. His technology was coming to fruition in front of him and a lot of hours of hard work and sleepless nights were going to pay off, soon. “ _Me_ , to be exact.” 

Tony didn’t look nearly as excited as Peter. He didn’t say anything, though, as they finished the presentation, and fielded some questions from the engineers and techs.

When the meeting ended, however, and Pepper and Ria were the only two still lingering in the room, it was Ria who spoke up.

“Do we have any concerns about this live trial?” She asked – not Peter but looking at Stark.

He frowned and glanced at Peter.

“It _looks_ safe,” he confirmed. “I’m going to run more tests this weekend, though. Just to be sure.”

“It’s _safe_ ,” Peter assured her. “We tested it.”

They had, too. A _lot_. Tony had run repeated scenarios and Peter had watched, understanding why he was being so cautious, but certain of the tech and the work that the two of them had done.

When are you going to do the live test?” Pepper asked.

Peter smiled.

“Monday. We’re ready now, but-“

“We’re not, _quite_ , ready,” Tony disagreed. “I want to run more tests, first.”

Peter rolled his eyes, but he didn’t argue. He understood that Tony was watching out for him, and he couldn’t be annoyed about it.

The last week had been very pleasant for the young man – and for _Tony_ , he was sure. They worked together each evening, and the work that they were doing was serious – and they both took it seriously, but there was also a _lot_ of touching going on, and it wasn’t just Tony who would lean over Peter to look at a screen and ‘accidentally’ brush a hand along the other’s hip.

Peter was just as susceptible to the urge to touch Tony, and more than once his palm had found the curve of Tony’s ass when the billionaire was leaned over the table working on something. 

Not surprisingly, Tony had yet to actually complain – or even _mention_ going to HR.

The only real tension between the two was the upcoming test, and Peter knew that Tony wouldn’t relax about that until it was over and done and Peter came out unscathed.

“I agree,” Ria said, breaking Peter out of his reverie. “Better safe than sorry.” She looked at Peter, pointedly. “We wait until Monday – or _later_ , if Tony finds something that concerns him.”

The young man rolled his eyes, but he nodded.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.”

Pepper smiled, amused and pleased by the protective way Tony was acting. If she didn’t know any better she’d think he was taking it all almost personally. She looked at Ria.

“Why don’t we take these two out to lunch?” She asked the other woman. “We can celebrate.”

“Sounds good.” She looked at Tony and Peter. “Lunch?”

“I want to go over those tests,” Tony said. “I-“

“We’d _love_ to go to lunch,” Peter told her. “Thank you.”

Tony scowled, and then surprised Pepper – at least – when he sighed, almost inaudible, and nodded.

“Yes. Lunch would be very nice, thank you.”

Peter turned to look at him, and with his head turned the women didn’t see the pleased look he gave Tony, although neither missed the way the billionaire’s expression softened, looking at him.

“Give me twenty minutes to clear a few things from my schedule,” Pepper said. “We’ll meet you in the garage.”

><><><><><>

Tony waited until they left and then stepped up to Peter, sliding his arms around the younger man’s slim frame and holding him, close.

“I’m not really hungry.”

“Lunch is good for you,” Peter said, unapologetically. He smiled to find himself wrapped in the billionaire’s embrace and rested his cheek against his chest. “Besides, I _am_ hungry.”

Tony rolled his eyes, wondering when what _Peter_ wanted had become more important than what _he_ wanted. He buried his face in the boy’s hair, though, smelling it, but forced himself not to run his hands along his back and down to his rear, tempted though he was. He was already in a state of almost constant arousal as it was, working so closely with Peter and knowing that the young man didn’t mind (and even encouraged) the occasional caress – although Tony was careful to not press for more than that, just yet.

“Fine. Lunch,” he conceded. “But then we’re back in the workroom. I want to run more tests.”

Now it was Peter who rolled his eyes, but Tony didn’t see it any more than Peter had seen his.

“It’s safe. You know it.”

“I want to be sure, honey.” They pulled apart and Tony smiled down at him. Besides, Ria will kill me if I let something happen to you.”

“Good point.”


	17. 17

They had lunch at the same restaurant that they’d been to when first discussing the merger of the two companies. A merger that was now a reality as the contracts had officially been signed by Pepper and Ria only a couple of days earlier. Tony was polite and cordial, but it was clear that he wanted to get back to the tower – and back to his tests.

Pepper was used to that coming from him and glanced over at Ria, hoping that she wasn’t offended. The other woman simply smirked, amused, and rolled her eyes toward Peter.

“I’m used to it, too,” she assured her. “Peter gets single-minded, and so focused it’s almost annoying.” Then she smiled. “But he’s brilliant – _and_ he’s cute – so I let it slide and send him off to play.”

The boy chuckled, not at all offended by her teasing. He was used to it, and he loved her, so she could pretty much tease him about anything and get away with it.

“Why don’t you two go ahead and go…?” Pepper said as they were debating whether to have dessert, or not, and Tony was practically sitting on the edge of his chair, watching the others but clearly not interested in anything else, just then. “I’ll drive Ria back to her work – you can get a cab.”

“Sounds good,” Stark agreed, getting to his feet. “Peter?”

Peter shrugged his agreement and looked at his boss.

“Need anything before the weekend?”

“Nope. Have a good time. I’ll see you Monday, right?”

“We’ll let you know how the trial goes.”

“I expect a full report,” she told Tony and Peter, both.

“And you’ll have it,” Tony assured her.

><><><>

They left, leaving the bill for Pepper, and walked out toward the valet area. While they’d been inside what had been a cloudy day was now a very _rainy_ day, with no indication that it was stopping any time soon. Luckily the entire area was protected from the weather by awning, and Tony waved down a taxi.

“Know what would be fun?” Peter said as a yellow cab pulled up to the curb.

“What, honey?”

“If we hailed a cab and it turned out to be that _Cash Cab_ from TV.”

Tony gave him a look.

“What are you talking about?”

“You never heard of cash cab?” Peter asked, incredulous.

The cab driver looked over his shoulder at Tony, as well.

“ _Really_?”

The billionaire rolled his eyes.

“No. Do I even _want_ to know?”

The trip back to the tower was filled with an explanation of the taxi based game show, and Tony smirked as he listened.

“Probably just as well that we didn’t get that cab,” he told Peter as he paid their driver. “As bright as you are? And add in _me_? We’d wipe them out on the drive – and then go double or nothing and own the studio.”

Peter smiled and they hurried into the tower to avoid getting rained on – and because Tony was definitely ready to double check everything, now.

><><><<><>

The workroom was quiet while Tony set up yet another trial of the nanotechnology they’d prepared. The mannequin they were using was dark, to create as much contrast as possible for the white tiles to form on it. Tony was muttering to himself, while Peter watched, going over the numbers in his head as they flashed onto the display but not correcting anything since Tony was doing everything right, of course. 

An hour later, the test was ready and both of them watched with interest as Stark hit the control that started the nanites and a wave of white tiles washed over the chest area of the mannequin and stopped when it was fully extended.

Tony stepped up, running his hands over the surface.

“Looks good,” Peter said from where he was leaning against the table.

“Yes,” Tony conceded. “But if we test it _again,_ we can make sure that there aren’t any fluctuations in the flow over time.”

“It looks good, Tony,” Peter said, again. “We’ve run it more than a dozen times, now, over the last few days.”

“But we can run it, again… just to be sure.”

Peter was touched that Tony was so worried about making sure everything was perfect; it showed that the older man was being careful with his health. How could he complain about that? But there was a limit, and it had probably been reached.

“We don’t need to, though. It’s going to be fine.”

“But-“

“Is this room private?” Peter asked, interrupting. “The door locks, I know, but are there video feeds to security or anything?”

Tony frowned, startled out of his single-mindedness by the odd question.

“No. I don’t allow people to keep track of me. Why?”

“I’m in the mood to be wooed a little and I don’t want to wait until tomorrow.”

He was interested, immediately, and turned from the mannequin.

“What are you thinking, honey?” The billionaire asked.

“Kiss me?”

“I could do that…”

Tony stepped away from the mannequin and up to Peter, moving smoothly into the boy’s embrace and settling his big hands on Peter’s hips. Peter smiled; his eyes warm as Tony kissed him, tenderly. Once, and then twice and the third one lingering until he felt Peter’s tongue along his lower lip gently demanding access to Tony’s mouth.

Access that he gave freely and with a soft moan of pleasure. His hands tightened their grip on Peter, sliding, now, along his slacks until he was cupping the younger man’s ass in his palms, bringing him flush up against his pelvis – and his almost instant erection.

“Ignore that,” he murmured, excited, because he could feel Peter’s arousal through the light fabric of the slacks that the boy was wearing. 

He loved knowing that everything wasn’t one-sided between them. Tony didn’t mind doing the pursuing – although it wasn’t something he ever _had_ to do – but he didn’t like pining without any hope of that desire being returned.

Peter chuckled, and to Tony’s delight he moved closer, not at all shying away from the contact. Peter wasn’t afraid of touching him and being touched. Tony liked that.

“It’s _hard_ to…”

Tony agreed about it being hard, but he knew they weren’t talking about the same thing. 

“How much wooing do you need, right now…?” He whispered, brushing another kiss against Peter’s lips. “What do you want?”

“What are we doing tomorrow?”

“It _was_ going to be a carriage ride in the park and then dinner. I think that’s going to be a washout in this rain.”

“Mhmm…” Peter’s hand moved as the younger man stepped back, against the worktable. He reached for Tony’s hand and guided it to his stomach – and then lower. “I need more than a kiss… please, Tony.” 

“Whatever you want, honey,” Tony assured him. He kissed him, again, sliding his palm along the bulge in Peter’s slacks. “Not _here_ , though… I can’t do anything properly here.”

“You said it was secured.”

“It _is_ ,” he confirmed. “But there’s only a hard table. Yes, I can bend you over it and I guarantee we’d both enjoy it, but it’s impossible to cuddle on a worktable and when we’re done, I’m going to want to hold you all weekend.” He kissed Peter’s lower lip, drawing it into his mouth and suckling it, lightly for a moment. “Decide, Peter…” he murmured. “My place, or yours? Where do you want to make me yours?”

“My place,” Peter told him. “I’ll make dinner.”

“And you’ll be my dessert?”

“God, I love it when you say stuff like that.”

Tony smiled, holding him tightly against him, then, and Peter melted into his embrace, understanding that he was being still – and quiet – to allow the two of them a cooldown time. Time for them to relax enough to allow them to leave without their mutual erections giving tell-tale evidence of what the other did to each.

“That’s the whole point of saying it…”

Peter rested his cheek against Tony’s chest and kept his hands still, although he was tempted – just out of a streak of pure mischief – to slide his hands along Tony’s rear and savor the pressure of the older man’s erection when he started getting hard again.

Tempting enough that he _did_ run his fingers down the older man’s back, but he stopped at the curve to his ass and simply held still, then. He’d initially intended to distract Tony from his obvious worry about the upcoming test; a little groping and cuddling was always a good way to do that. Now, though, he was definitely the one who needed the distraction.

“What do you want for dinner?” he asked, speaking into Tony’s skin.

“If you really want to cook for us, I’d have chicken. If you’re not in the mood to put so much effort into it, we could stop for take out.”

“Pizza?”

“Sure. I’ll have FRIDAY order it and we’ll pick it up on our way.”

Peter smiled, pulling back, now, feeling a little more in control of himself.

“I’ll help you clean up here, and we can go.”


	18. 18

Tony held the door for Peter when they reached the younger man’s apartment. Peter was holding a pizza box and stacked on top of it was a bag with a six-pack of imported beer that Tony had bought at the convenience store next to the pizza place. _Peter_ didn’t drink, not since the spa night had taught him just how bad he was at it, but Tony enjoyed a beer with pizza.

And he was almost nervous, and definitely wanted some alcohol in his system – just not too much.

They’d had lunch not that long before, so they neither one was too hungry. Peter set the box on the counter, while Tony pulled a beer for each of them. The smell of pepperoni permeated the kitchen and Peter pulled out a couple of plates.

“Let’s eat on the sofa,” he suggested.

“Wherever you want, honey.”

Tony waited for Peter to settle and then he sat next to him. The plate was in his lap rather than on the coffee table, and he took a drink of the beer and set it down, turning to the younger man who was picking the pepperoni off his pizza a piece at a time and nibbling on it while watching him, intently.

“You aren’t _eating_ …” Peter pointed out.

Stark smiled, and took a bite of his pizza, absently.

“I’ve got something else on my mind.”

The boy smiled at that, his cheeks reddening just a little, and his eyes lighting up.

“Yeah?”

Tony set the pate aside and leaned toward Peter, shifting a little on the sofa so he was turned somewhat.

“Yes.” He kissed him, softly, tasting the sauce and pepperoni on his lips, and his tongue slid along Peter’s lip, just for a moment before he pulled back. “That’s nice.”

Peter murmured a noise that Tony assumed was agreement. There definitely wasn’t any complaint in the sound. The younger man moved just enough to put his plate on the coffee table beside his untouched beer, and he turned to Tony, sliding his hand under the older man’s shirt and feeling the smooth skin of his stomach.

“Make me feel good, Tony,” he whispered.

The billionaire nodded, reaching down and pulling his shirt off to give Peter better access to his belly.

“That’s my plan.” He leaned in for another kiss. “Tell me if you don’t like something.”

“I will.”

He gave himself up to Tony, then, allowing the older man to set the pace of their evening. Stark smiled when he realized what was happening, and he moved, again, this time shifting Peter on the sofa until the younger man was laying back against the cushion. He pushed his shirt up, suddenly eager to see Peter with much less clothing, baring the boy’s stomach and chest. Peter moaned, softly, when Tony kissed his way from his jaw, to his neck, then his shoulders.

He stopped at Peter’s nipples, spending a long time with them, willing to give him as much pleasure as he could. He licked and kissed, and then suckled each one, blowing on them and enjoying the way Peter tensed under the touch. There was a very light trail of fine little hairs – almost unnoticeable unless you were as close to them as Tony was just then – that led down Peter’s abdomen between the taut muscles that were so well defined.

Tony peppered kisses along that trail, his hand leading the way as he went lower, his tongue tasting Peter’s skin while his lips plied the younger man with butterfly caresses. He didn’t bother to pull Peter’s slacks down, yet, when he reached the waistband and the belt that Peter was wearing. Instead he nuzzled his face against the growing bulge, there, and Peter’s hand went to the back of Tony’s head while his hips moved, pressing that swelling upward, leaving Tony with no doubt what he wanted.

“Jesus…”

Stark’s answering chuckle was amused – and slightly breathless. He pulled back enough to give himself room to reach for Peter’s zipper, and he moved it down, the sound almost deafening – even over the suddenly labored breathing from the younger man. Tony reached his fingers into Peter’s slacks, then into the silk boxers that were all that was keeping him from his prize.

A prize that a moment later was free of constraints and standing proudly erect, with Tony’s hand wrapped around it, stroking it lightly.

“That’s beautiful…” Tony murmured.

He’d seen Peter naked, of course, but this was his first real chance to enjoy the sight, fully, and Peter didn’t disappoint. His cock was thick, and a little longer than average – and smooth as the silk that he’d pulled it from. He admired it, but Peter was impatient. The hand on Tony’s head was suddenly pulling him down, guiding him to where he wanted him.

And to make sure there was no mistaking the motion, Peter added a verbal command that the billionaire would never refuse.

“Suck me, Tony.”

Stark didn’t hesitate – and certainly wasn’t going to give Peter any time to change his mind about what he wanted. The older man’s head dipped and his mouth closed around the head of Peter’s lovely cock. Peter moaned his approval as Tony’s tongue slid along the length of his shaft.

“Yes… God…”

This was so much better than worrying about the live test of the prototype – and it beat a carriage ride in the park. Peter leaned back just a little more so he could have a better view of what Tony was doing to him. It wasn’t his first blowjob by any means, but it was the first Tony had ever given him, and it was going to be worth remembering.

And definitely worth watching.

Tony worked on Peter’s cock with a skill that told the younger man that this wasn’t *his* first blowjob, either. One hand was wrapped around Peter’s cock, the other hand was caressing Peter’s chest, while Tony’s head bobbed up and down, smoothly, clearly ready and willing to suck the cock in his mouth until Peter made him stop.

Which wasn’t going to happen.

It had been a long time since Peter’s last sexual encounter – and the build up to being with Tony had left him in a state of anticipation that was certain to make sure he didn’t last long. His hips were already bucking under Tony’s ministrations and he could feel waves of pleasure already beginning to radiate through his body.

Tony was watching him watch him, his eyes intent on Peter’s expression. He didn’t have any trouble reading the lust on the boy’s face, or the pleasure. Feeling a surge of excitement of his own, he bent his head and deepthroated Peter, working the younger man’s cock, eagerly, savoring the taste of him and moving his hands to hold Peter’s hips, making sure the boy couldn’t dislodge his mouth until Tony was ready.

Which wasn’t going to happen until Peter unloaded down his throat.

It didn’t take long.

“Tony…”

Peter’s moan was all the warning that the older man had. That and the building tension in the stiff rod in his mouth. Stark’s hand went to Peter’s shaft, stroking him as he suckled the head, the pressure exerted in the same rhythm that his hand was offering. Peter groaned, once more, a sound of utter pleasure and climaxed; his hips jerking with each spurt that Tony swallowed as soon as it landed on his tongue.

The billionaire worked Peter’s cock, slurping and licking, caressing and cajoling, until the younger man gave another groan – this one filled with satisfaction – and went limp under him. Although his cock was still twitching in Tony’s grasp.

“Wow…”


	19. 19

Tony’s brown eyes were amused and gratified, as well. He was enjoying seeing Peter so satisfied. Loved the way his eyes had looked when he’d climaxed. If he had his way, this wasn’t going to be close to the first time he made the boy look like that.

“Enjoyed it, did you?” he asked, pulling his mouth almost reluctantly away from Peter’s lap, moving up on him and kissing him, softly, sharing the flavor with Peter.

Peter chuckled, licking his lip.

“Yes. You could say that.”

“Good. I did, too.” He allowed himself to rest his weight on Peter, aware that the other was more than strong enough to not be uncomfortable by the extra weight. “Are you good, then?” Tony asked, his hand moving back to Peter’s cock, amused that it hadn’t really softened, too much, and stroking the length of it, lightly, to keep it interested. “Feeling wooed?”

“Definitely wooed,” Peter told him, stretching under his weight, but not trying to dislodge him, or stop his hand from what it was doing. “Not even close to being satisfied, though…”

“No?”

“No.”

Tony moved back, then, infatuated by the sight of Peter’s cock sticking out from his pants like it was, eagerly waiting for more attention. It was vulgar and obscene and so fucking sexy all at once. He felt his own cock twitch, eagerly, in response.

“Let’s move to your room, honey,” he suggested. “I need more space – and you’re definitely wearing too many clothes.”

Peter agreed, and he let Tony help him to his feet. He kissed him, again, though, before they could separate, and Tony groaned into the kiss when Peter’s hand slid down his bare side and then between them to rest his palm on Tony’s pants – and the erection that was straining for release.

“So eager for me?” the younger man said, pulling away from the kiss and smiling up at Tony.

“Oh yes.”

He watched as Peter undid his belt, and then his button and slid down the zipper on his pants. Both hands went to the waistband – of his slacks _and_ his boxers – and Peter pulled them down with a smooth, easy motion. Tony’s cock lurched free, bobbing between them, thick and proud, and Peter knelt to help Tony step out of his shoes and socks and them his pants.

He reached for Tony’s cock, fingers wrapping around the shaft and looking up at the older man, who was holding still – as if afraid to move and break the spell that the boy had on him, just then.

“So perfect, Tony. Just like I knew it would be.”

“Yeah…?” Tony slid his fingers through Peter’s hair, lightly. “You’ve been thinking about it? About _me_?”

“About what you would taste like,” Peter confirmed, leaning forward and sliding his tongue along Tony’s shaft, tasting the precum that was leaking from the tip. He pulled back, though. “And what you’d feel like inside me.”

Tony groaned, almost losing his load right then and there.

“You’re so fucking amazing, Peter,” he told him. He carefully moved himself out of Peter’s grip and pulled him to his feet so he could kiss him, grinding his pelvis – and his aching cock – into Peter’s as he did. “Is there anything that you absolutely don’t like? Something I _shouldn’t_ do?”

Better to ask now, than find out in the middle of their lovemaking, after all.

“I’m not a fan of spanking…” Peter murmured. “Or, really, pain in any form.”

“I’ll never hurt you, again, honey,” Tony told him. “Never on purpose.”

Peter smiled at the promise and stepped back enough to give himself room to undo his pants and allow them to slide down his narrow hips. It took a little more to get his boxers down, since he needed to free his cock, first. When he was as naked as Tony, he stepped back into his embrace, and now it was Peter who was rutting into Tony’s pelvis, enjoying the way the coarse hairs on Tony’s body sent shivers of pleasure through his own skin.

“I want you inside me. Put me on my belly, and do whatever you want, just make me feel good – and cover me like a big, heavy blanket.”

Tony shivered and cupped Peter’s ass with both hands, spreading his cheeks and nuzzling Peter’s neck.

“Oh, I can do that.” He was tempted to simply take him right then and there. The couch wasn’t as sexy or romantic as a bed, but Peter was so hot, so beautiful and eager, that Tony actually had to force himself to move away – although he took the younger man’s hand when he did. “In your bed.”

Peter let him lead the way into his bedroom and Tony did as he’d been asked to; he pressed the younger man down onto the bed, belly down. Peter went, willingly, feeling a shiver of excitement and anticipation as he did, and parting his knees without being asked, presenting himself to Tony and waiting to see what he did, next.

Tony bit his lower lip as he slid a big hand along Peter’s rear, mesmerized by the sight of the firm, young, body waiting for him. Open for whatever he wanted.

“Stay right there, honey,” Tony told him, kneading his hand on one ass cheek for a moment before letting go. “Don’t move. Understand?”

“Yes.”

Peter’s voice was slightly muffled by the bedding, but he turned his head and watched as Tony vanished into the bathroom, returning a moment later holding the lube that was in the medicine cabinet. A moment later he lost sight of Tony when he returned to the place behind Peter, but he trembled, again, when he felt Tony’s hands spreading his cheeks again, and he almost jumped out of his skin when he felt the billionaire’s tongue slide along his crack and find his tight hole.

He groaned and pressed back against the invasion and the sensation of Tony’s facial hair rubbing the tender skin of his ass as the man started working him with his tongue and lips.

“Yes… oh fuck. Yes.”

He heard – and _felt_ – Tony’s chuckle, but the man didn’t say anything, he simply started preparing Peter for what was to come. A finger slid into the tight ass, teasing the muscles that first tried to keep him out, and then tried to keep him where he was. Peter whimpered at the invasion, but when Tony hesitated, wondering if he was hurting him, the younger man silently pressed back against him, asking for more.

Tony was willing. He took his time, though, despite his own eagerness – and the delicious sounds that Peter was making as eventually another finger joined the first, to be followed by a third when the boy was stretched enough to accommodate it.

“So perfect,” Tony crooned, adding verbal caresses to the physical, and feeling Peter respond. Which encouraged him to continue. “You’re perfect for me, Peter. So tight. So strong and so beautiful.”

“Yes. Please, Tony.”

“Going to make you mine,” Tony told him, pulling his fingers away and adding extra lube to his cock as he moved between Peter’s knees onto the bed, nudging them even further apart, until the boy’s cock was now brushing the bedspread and Peter’s hips moved, rutting against it. “Going to be yours. All yours, honey.”

“Tony… do it…”

Peter pressed back as Tony guided the head of his cock to his entrance and moved forward, easing his thick rod into him.

“Jesus Christ, Peter… you’re so fucking tight. Easy, baby,” he cautioned as the younger man tried to move again and get more of him inside. “Patience… we’re getting there.”

Peter’s hands grasped the bedding and he tried to hold still, feeling the incredible sensation of being filled slowly but inexorably with Tony’s cock. He moaned, softly, when Tony was finally hilted inside him, and the older man leaned forward, over him, his belly against Peter’s back, making sure that he felt him in every way possible.

“That’s it…” Tony whispered, lovingly, in Peter’s ear, his facial hair tickling the sensitive skin there as he did. “I’m in, and you’re mine.”

Peter turned his head to catch Tony’s kiss, excited by the possessiveness in the older man’s tone and the lust in his amazing brown eyes.

“Yours,” Peter echoed, kissing him, hungrily, his hand coming up to press his palm against Tony’s cheek and hold his head where it was for a long moment.

Then he moved, putting his head back down and enjoying the sensation of being so completely filled. Tony pressed a kiss against Peter’s shoulder blade and then put his hands on the younger man’s hips, holding him still as he pulled out almost completely and then pushed himself back into him, the slow and easy thrust meeting resistance in the best of ways. The approving sound that Peter made was exciting, and Tony pulled out, again, this time using a little more force when he pressed back inside. Peter pushed back against him, making exciting noises that were obviously intended to get Tony worked up – and it succeeded. The older man began moving with firm, easy thrusts, getting into a rhythm that Peter could match, and then going faster and harder as the excitement began to build.

The motion would push Peter into the bedding with every thrust, driving the younger man’s cock into the fabric and stimulating him from both the front and the rear. His thrusts were also brushing against Peter’s sensitive prostate, and it wasn’t long before the dual attentions were taking their toll and Peter was soon climaxing, again, this time emptying onto the blankets below him.

That was all it took to trigger Tony. The older man groaned and slammed in deep, holding still as he seemed to just erupt inside of Peter, filling him with his boiling seed and thrusting harder and harder with each spasm that shuddered through him.

“Take it, Peter…” he murmured, holding him tightly so nothing escaped. Keeping his prize still as he used him. Feeling his thrust become even easier with each motion he made as he coated Peter’s inner walls with cum. “Take it all.”

Peter did. He loved it. Loved the feeling he was getting from being under the man. The sensations that coursed through him as he was filled in every way possible. Enjoyed being pinned to the bed by Tony, and the arms that came around him when Tony finally stopped spasming. The older man held him, collapsing on him like the heavy blanket Peter had requested. He shifted enough to move his knee against Peter’s thigh, opening him that much more when Peter shifted, too, and then laying still, feeling his heart pounding in his chest and soothing the boy with a loving caress.

“That was good, Tony,” Peter finally said from under him.

“Just good?” the billionaire asked with a chuckle.

“ _Really_ good.”

Tony kissed his cheek.

“I’m glad you approve,” he said, amused. “Let me catch my breath and we’ll try for amazing, next time.”

Peter stretched, not in any hurry to move, and nodded.

“Yeah.”


	20. 20

“Stop looking so nervous,” Peter chided. “You’re going to make me nervous.”

“You _should_ be nervous,” Tony told him, watching his lover’s young face for any sign of discomfort as he attached the housing unit for the nanites against the boy’s shoulder. “First human trial of a completely new – and probably _dangerous_ – technology? I’d say there’s some reason for concern.”

“The tests looked good.”

“I know.”

“The technology is sound.”

“I _know_.”

He should; he helped develop it, right?

“Then stop looking so nervous – or you’re sleeping alone, tonight.”

Tony smiled at that, still amazed at how the weekend had gone. Amazed and incredibly pleased. And maybe a little sore. But in all the right places.

He and Peter had spent Friday night in Peter’s bed. After their first time, they’d gone again, spending much longer simply learning each other’s bodies before Tony had once more put Peter on his belly and had taken him from behind, fucking him through not just one, but two orgasms before Tony was finished with him.

Then they’d showered, changed the bedding and had spent the rest of the night cuddling and making googly eyes at each other until they’d fallen asleep. Saturday morning had begun with Peter riding Tony, his ass still as tight as it had been the first time and his body delicious to watch as he strove for climax, taking Tony with him for the trip. They lounged in bed a while longer until hunger had finally driven them to the kitchen. Peter made bacon and eggs and then they’d retired to the sofa where the younger man had pinned Tony down with his negligible weight and incredible strength and had sucked him off, pointing out that he hadn’t had a chance to taste him, yet.

Tony hadn’t argued, and Peter spent the day experimenting with the various strangled noises that Tony would make – depending on what Peter was doing to him at the moment. He enjoyed watching Tony’s eyes watch him, and by the time he was finished, the billionaire was a veritable puddle of goo and so wiped out – and satiated – that he’d ended up wrapping his arms around Peter and falling asleep before he could get him off.

Which might have annoyed someone else, but Peter hadn’t been upset, and hadn’t felt slighted. He liked sex, and loved the waves of pleasure that washed over him when he was the focus of Tony’s attentions, but he _really_ loved watching Tony enjoy what he was doing to him, and had pointed out that a generous lover would allow his partner to have his way with him – even if that meant making the sacrifice of climaxing repeatedly, and once or twice almost violently.

Besides, when Tony woke on Sunday, Peter sleeping cuddled against him, the older man had more than made up for falling asleep on him by waking Peter with a blowjob that had left the young man clutching at him as he emptied into him, only to have Tony start all over again the moment he managed to catch his breath.

Then, once Peter was coming down from his high, Tony had sidled up to him and handed him the lube, pointing out that he hadn’t had a chance to feel Peter inside him, yet, and wanted to feel like he was being claimed, as well. That had ended spectacularly, and Tony was sure that he could still feel Peter’s cock inside him the next morning when they’d woken up still tangled in each other’s embrace.

All in all, as weekends had gone, it was more than satisfying for both of them – and yes; they were both sore.

But they were also in high spirits as they gone to Tony’s first, so he could change into a fresh suit, and had then gone to the tower – and the workroom to prepare for their first test. A test that still had Tony concerned, and unable to hide it.

“It really should be _me_ …” he said, well aware that Peter wasn’t going to make him sleep alone that evening. “I’m _older_.”

“Older doesn’t mean anything in this case,” Peter reminded him. “Sturdier _does_ – and I’m definitely more durable than you. If something goes wrong – and it _won’t_ – then I’ll be able to handle it, better. But it’s going to be great, and we’ll prove that we’re geniuses, after all.”

“I’ve already proven I’m a genius,” Tony pointed out, allowing Peter to talk him into it, of course. “And so have you.”

“Yeah. But this is next level stuff – even for you.”

“I know.”

Peter smiled, sliding his hand along Tony’s stomach.

“Relax, okay? I hear that worrying too much can make a man have trouble getting an erection.”

“What? Where did you hear that?”

“It was on the _internet_.”

Tony rolled his eyes.

“It’s not true, believe me.” He leaned over and kissed Peter, softly. He’d had more erections the past few days than he’d had in months – and was more than capable of another. “Wait until tonight and I’ll prove it to you…”

Peter made an approving noise and nibbled lightly on Tony’s earlobe for a moment before he pulled away.

“I’m going to hold you to it.”

“I know.” They both took a deep breath as Peter stepped away from the table. “Ready, FRIDAY?” the young man asked.

The AI was going to record everything, of course, and would be the secondary kill switch for the nanotech if anything went wrong and they wouldn’t stop for Peter’s command.

_“Yes.”_

Tony watched, holding his breath, as Peter activated the nanotech, and they both looked down at the dark long-sleeved shirt the boy was wearing, as there was suddenly a swarm of nanotech emitting from the housing on Peter’s shoulder and then spreading along his arm, then his chest, other arm, stomach and finally coming to a stop at his back.

“How do you feel?” Tony asked.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Peter assured him.

“Try moving your arms.”

Flexibility was going to be key for the tech and all the models had come in saying that it shouldn’t be an issue, but until they had the real thing in front of them, they weren’t going to know for certain.

Peter did as he was told, moving first his right arm and then his left. Both moved, freely.

“Easy peasy.”

“Don’t get cocky,” Tony growled, running his hands along the material while Peter continued manipulating his arms and then twisting so his torso moved, as well. “That’s my job.”

“Well?”

“It isn’t pinching?”

“Nope.”

“Not squeezing too tightly?”

“No. It doesn’t hurt – and it’s pretty snug, as well as flexible. It’s a little heavier than we’ll actually want the finished product to be, but that’s an easy fix.”

“Yeah. Okay, take it off.”

“I haven’t really tested it, too much.”

“Enough for now. I want to go over the results FRIDAY recorded, today. It looks good. If it keeps looking good, we’ll do this again, tomorrow. Don’t argue with me.”

He said it lovingly, and without malice. Peter knew he was still suspect of the tech – and would be, most likely, until he had a chance to try it on himself – but it was sound and the boy was smiling when he disengaged the nano armor.

“We did it,” he said, pulling the housing off his arm.

Tony’s smile was proud – and pleased at just how happy Peter looked.

“Yes, we did. You’re incredible.”

The boy tilted his head, and the look he gave him made the blood rush straight to Tony’s groin.

“Thank you. You are, too.”

“Jesus, Peter…” Tony complained. “Put away the bedroom eyes or I’m going to bend you over the table and have my way with you here and now.”

Peter laughed, and hugged Tony, tightly. It dismissed the tension but didn’t do anything to keep Tony from holding him, close, for a long moment.

“I suppose we probably shouldn’t do that,” the younger man murmured.

“It’d probably be unprofessional.”

“A kiss wouldn’t be, though…” Peter said, looking up at Tony, hopefully. “A celebration kiss…?”

“I could be talked into that,” Tony agreed, lowering his head to catch Peter’s lips for a ten count. “Then we’ll see what we need to do to perfect the tech, now that we know it works.”

“Yeah.”


	21. 21

“So…?” Ria watched Tony and Peter with interest from across her desk. A modern contraption made of glass and steel that was both utilitarian and beautiful at the same time. The two men sitting in the upholstered chairs on the other side were definitely looking pleased with themselves, she decided, and since she knew they’d intended to test the prototype of the new nanotech, she had immediately invited them over when Peter had called earlier. “What did you learn?”

“We learned that Peter, here, is a _genius_ ,” Tony told her.

Ria smiled at the younger man’s flush of pleasure – and she narrowed her eyes, slightly, as she realized that something else was different, as well. An easiness with Stark, maybe, that hadn’t been there, before? She kept that particular thought to herself for the moment, focusing on the topic at hand.

“We _already_ knew that,” she pointed out.

“Then we confirmed it,” Tony said, easily. “The tech worked exactly as it was supposed to, and Peter activated it three times, today, with the same positive results each time.”

“That’s good news.” She turned to Peter. “You didn’t get overrun by them? They’re not out swarming through the city, hellbent on world domination now that they’re free?”

Peter smiled; she’d watched Stargate with him, and knew what a replicator was, and he caught the reference, immediately – even though Tony almost certainly didn’t have a clue.

“Nope. They’re back in the designed housing. Exactly like they were programmed to be.”

“No pain?”

“No. It went off without a hitch.”

“It was almost scary how smooth it was,” Tony agreed. “The little buggers came out, did their thing, we tested Peter’s range of motion with them activated, and then they returned.”

“We might put the housing somewhere more centralized,” Peter added. “There are some aesthetic factors that I didn’t care for – and if it’s armor that we’re going for, we might want it to form the chest and stomach guard, first.”

“For safety,” Stark added.

It was clear to the woman that they’d been discussing that. She wondered if Tony Stark was already having visions of a new kind of nanotech armor for his newest version of the Ironman suit. It was almost certainly the case – and that was fine – as long as he didn’t let the side project get in the way of the research. She doubted that would happen, though, really. The two were going to be interdependent to start, most likely.

“On the chest?” she asked. “The housing is a little bulky, though, isn’t it?”

“For now,” Peter said. “But it’ll streamline as we work with it.” The younger man was as animated as she could ever remember seeing him – and was positively glowing with happiness. “I suggested the chest, too…”

Tony rolled his eyes, good-naturedly.

“And I said it was a good idea, right?” he asked. “Don’t be so smug, Parker, it’s unbecoming and no one likes a showoff.”

“ _No one likes a_ …?” Peter snorted. “Do we need to bring up press conferences and senate hearings?”

“No one likes a showoff, _now_ ,” Tony corrected, winking at Ria and clearly much more relaxed with Peter than he had been. “It was a thing back in my day.”

“You’ll keep me posted?” Ria asked.

“Of course,” Tony replied – before Peter could. “Testing for another few months and we could be ready for some of the manufacturing to start within the year. Get the word out, and we’ll start raking in contracts. With _our_ military, first, and then diplomats. That’ll make _billions_ , right there. Then you and Pepper can decide if we stay domestic or sell to the foreign markets and really start raking in the money.”

“Not _you_?” she asked, curiously.

He smiled.

“ _You_ own your company, completely, and I own Stark Industries. _Pepper_ is my CEO, however, and fully entrusted to make the decisions for the company. It frees me up to do the R&D that I enjoy so much – _and_ to work with the Avengers. You two will decide what to do with the tech when it’s ready – and Peter and I will do what we need to make sure it works as it’s expected to.”

Peter grinned, excitedly, at that, which made Ria smile. In that moment she could see the teen that she’d met so long ago; filled with sorrow and hurt and even anger at being abandoned by his hero, yes, but so anxious to save the world in whatever capacity that he could. And now, here he was standing on the edge of that promise, fulfilling the dream that she and he had discussed so many times in the past years.

She was happy for him, almost more than she was for herself – although she was definitely feeling a little smug about seeing _her_ dreams come to fruition, too.

“What’s the plan for the rest of the week?” she asked them.

“We are going to take the rest of the day off – to celebrate,” Tony answered. “Then back to work, tomorrow, to start perfecting things.”

Just because the initial testing went as expected, it didn’t mean they weren’t going to have more to do, after all.

“I’m going to grab a few things, though,” Peter told her. “I want to run a couple of tests, but it’ll work better if I do it at the tower – with the new prototype – instead of here.”

“Sounds right,” Ria agreed. “Go ahead and get them, now,” she told him. “And then take the day off, like Tony said.”

Peter nodded and got up, but a look from Ria plainly told _Tony_ to stick around, and the billionaire didn’t get to his feet.

“I’ll meet you outside in a few minutes,” he told Peter, who nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. They waited, just to make sure that he wasn’t going to come back in because he’d forgotten something, and then Tony looked at Ria, raising an eyebrow. “You have concerns?”

“About the _tech_?” she asked. “No. It sounds like you’re making good progress.”

“About me and Peter?” he guessed.

She nodded.

“It could be my imagination, but I’m sensing a change in the dynamic between the two of you.”

Tony wasn’t surprised; she was observant and brilliant – and almost certainly had some kind of motherly interest in Peter considering the dynamic that they shared between them.

“It isn’t your imagination,” he confirmed.

“He looks happy.”

“I think he is.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“He’d better _stay_ happy.”

“You’re threatening me, _again_?” he asked. “You already had this conversation with me.”

“No. That was the _don’t hurt him_ conversation,” she told the billionaire. “This one is more along the lines of _don’t break his heart or I’ll bury you so deep that Jimmy Hoffa will be found before you are.”_

Tony wasn’t offended. She loved Peter and he was fairly certain that he loved Peter, too. How could he be mad at her for wanting to protect him?

“I’m not going to hurt him,” he told her, sincerely. “I _did_ that, already. You don’t have anything to worry about from me – and neither does he.”

“Good to hear.” She looked almost convinced. “Get out of my office, Tony. Take Peter to dinner, or something, to celebrate.”

“Would you like to join us?”

“Not tonight.” She smiled. “Thank you, though.”


	22. 22

They had dinner at one of Tony’s favorite restaurants. An Italian place that catered to wealthy or famous – or _both_ – who wanted a night out without being recognized by others. To do that they had several smaller rooms that were designed to be private and intimate. Rooms that Tony was willing to take advantage of as soon as they walked into the place. He and Peter were ushered into a nice room with candles and a table for two.

Peter reached for Tony’s hand.

“Is it _really_ private here?” he asked. “Or do we need to behave?”

“That’s your call, honey,” Tony told him, smiling. He was delighted that Peter’s interest in him wasn’t only in the bedroom. Or the workroom. “It’s _private_ , but even here there could be rumors spread.”

“Rumors?”

“Tony Stark was seen with a handsome young companion? They won’t know – or care – that we’re working together. All they will see is a story to tell. And a juicy one, at that. If I hold your hand, there will definitely be talk. _I’m_ used to the spotlight, but can you handle that?”

The younger man smiled, too, wiggling his fingers.

“I could be the trophy boyfriend.”

“You’d be my treasure, Peter,” Tony told him, taking the offered hand in his own and feeling a surge of happiness at Peter’s courage. “Never a trophy.”

“Then I’ll make you _my_ trophy,” Peter said, squeezing his hand, lightly, before releasing it and looking at the menu. “I’d like that.”

He didn’t see Tony’s eyes darken with hunger that had nothing to do with the menu, and by the time he looked up the older man was looking at the menu, as well.

It set a relaxed pace for their evening, though, and the two enjoyed a quiet time together as they ate a meal consisting of comfort food and bread rolls fresh from the giant ovens of the restaurant and a hearty wine that Tony insisted on to celebrate their success – although neither drank enough to become drunk, since both wanted to actually enjoy and remember their night and what was to come.

What was to come was the two of them going back to Peter’s apartment anticipating a long evening of loving. They could have gone to Tony’s, but Peter was more comfortable in his place; it wasn’t as opulent, or fancy, and he didn’t feel like they were going to ruin the leather of the sofa when the petting grew a little hot and heavy. Tony was fine with being wherever Peter needed to be; for someone as extroverted as the billionaire – and selfish in most cases – he was willing to do whatever Peter needed from him.

When they left the restaurant, Tony drove them to Peter’s, parking once more in his parking spot. They’d already decided that the evening would be best spent simply sitting on the sofa watching a movie and spending time together. Tony didn’t mind movies; Peter loved them. They popped some popcorn and settled in for a night of cuddling and petting and the newest reincarnation of the Star Wars franchise.

Tony smiled to himself at the domestic scene that he was in the middle of, just then. A scene that included Peter sprawled on the couch with his head in Tony’s lap. The billionaire had the bowl of popcorn resting on Peter’s stomach, and would occasionally press a piece against the younger man’s lips, feeding it to him and enjoying the way his tongue would slide out of his mouth to lick the salt either from his lips – or, even better, from Tony’s fingers.

It was erotic, and he wasn’t even completely certain that Peter was doing it on purpose – although he had to be able to feel the affect it was having on him.

The bowl was almost empty and the movie was just getting to the exciting part when Tony felt the body cuddled against him suddenly tense. Not in the good way, either. He looked down, but Peter was already sitting up, looking around, uncertainly.

“What’s up, honey?”

“Something feels off…” came the distracted reply. Peter put the bowl on the coffee table so he wouldn’t tip it over and got to his feet. “It’s-“

There was a faint beeping, suddenly, coming from outside the door to the apartment and they heard the sound of a few people running by the door, talking loudly. Someone pounded on the door just as Tony realized that he smelled smoke.

“What’s-?”

They went to the door and Peter opened it, then stepped back. The hallway was filled with smoke and people running – some panicked, but most simply heading for the elevator. The faint beeping that they’d heard inside Peter’s apartment was now a full on fire alarm blaring at them.

“There’s a fire,” Peter said, unnecessarily, already heading back to the couch to find his shoes and slide his feet into them. “Come on.”

Tony had followed, and was reaching for his glasses, which were sitting on the coffee table by his phone and his wallet. He slid his shoes on, too, and put the glasses on.

“FRIDAY? What do you see, baby?”

Peter watched, realizing what he was doing, as he gathered up his own phone and wallet, putting them in his pocket, idly thinking that it was a good thing that he and Tony hadn’t been in the middle of something a lot more compromising than a movie.

“It’s a bad one…,” Tony told him, gathering the data that FRIDAY was able to pull up. “The fire alarms seem to be doing their job, but there are a lot of people. The west side of this entire floor is in flames.”

It was evening, and the time when most of the tenants in Peter’s building (singles and in many cases families) were just settling in for the night. Dinner was done and the youngest of children were already in bed, while the older ones would be playing games or watching TV like he and Tony had been. Of course there were a lot of people. It was a work night. Or a school night.

It was chaotic, and there were shouts of panic as people ran by the open door to Peter’s apartment.

Then, to add to it, the sprinkler system in the building triggered and they were suddenly being soaked. Peter ran for the door with Tony right behind him. Instead of heading for the stairwell with the rest of the stampeding people, however, Peter turned the other direction, heading for the danger instead of away from it.

“What are you doing?” Tony asked, wiping water from his face as they headed down the hall. A woman ran by with a crying baby under her arm, being shepherded out of danger by a man who hovered protectively close. “We need to get these people out of here.”

“There’s something wrong,” Peter shouted over his shoulder.

“ _The building’s on fire_. That’s what’s wrong.”

He followed him, though, and with his glasses on, still, he could see what Peter couldn’t – but what he seemed to know, anyway. An apartment with three still forms, not waking with the alarm, or with the sprinklers showering water down on them. An apartment that was on fire and had billowing smoke coming from under the door.

“Peter!” Tony took the lead, now, and the two men ran to where the fire was the hottest. Probably where it had started. There weren’t any more people in the hall, now, and they couldn’t hear the shouting, anymore. Either the noise of the chaos around them was drowning them out, or everyone else had gone. “Here.”

Tony tried the doorknob but brought his hand back with a curse. It was hot.

Peter wasn’t so subtle. He kicked out, smashing the door on its frame, and rushing into the apartment. The layout was exactly like his own, making it easy for them. A woman was unconscious on the sofa – which was almost in the exact same position in this apartment that Peter’s was in his own. Tony reached her, first, and scooped her into his arms, not bothering to wait to try and wake her.

“FRIDAY says two kids in the bedroom. Get them!”

Peter nodded, coughing now, in the acrid smoke that was filling the room.

“Go, Tony! Get her out!”

“Hurry up, Peter!”

_“First responders are arriving.”_

FRIDAY’s voice was much calmer than theirs.


	23. 23

FRIDAY’s voice was much calmer than theirs.

He coughed, too, and with his arms full he couldn’t do more than watch as Peter vanished into the bedroom, immediately find what he was looking for and rush out with a young child under either arm. A piece of the ceiling suddenly came crashing down, only narrowly avoiding hitting Peter, who ducked, keeping the kids protectively in his grasp and away from the danger.

Tony headed for the door, and the hallway, turning his head to make sure Peter was still behind him. Then led the way along the corridor toward the stairs, knowing that the elevators were a death trap in a fire. _Everyone_ knew that; you didn’t have to be Ironman. The door to the stairwell was closed, but just as Tony was going to sling the woman over his shoulder to free a hand, it was flung open and a pair of firefighters entered the hallway, looking almost startled at their presence.

“Give her to me,” the closest said, reaching for the woman.

Tony did as he was told, handing his unconscious burden over, and then taking one of the little kids from Peter, who was coughing almost continuously, now. His eyes were watering from the smoke and Tony could see they were red even in the murky haze in the hall.

“Anyone else up here?” the other firefighter asked.

“No.” Tony looked back, just to make sure, but FRIDAY was confirming it. “this floor is clear.”

More firefighters were arriving, with hoses and equipment of all kinds. Tony and Peter – with their precious little passengers – were hustled down the stairs surrounded by other protectively dressed men and women who formed a phalanx around them until they were down on the street level. There they were met with medics and EMTs of all sorts. The kids were taken from them – and the woman was handed over, as well – and Tony and Peter were led to an ambulance where they were both given oxygen. Blankets were draped over them, and they were told to sit down on the bumper of the vehicle.

“Are you out of your _mind_?” Tony said to his young lover, scowling and coughing. “You could have been killed.”

“You were with me,” Peter told him, wiping his eyes with his arm, leaving a smear of soot and moisture along his face. “I knew we’d be okay.”

He coughed, hard, and the medic that was in charge of them pressed the oxygen mask against Peter’s face, again.

Tony rolled his eyes. The kid had a lot more faith in him than Tony did.

“Is he alright?” he asked the medic, who had been taking Peter’s blood pressure.

“Nothing serious,” the woman confirmed. “You guys should both go to the hospital and get checked out.”

“I’m good,” Peter said. He looked up at the building, and the smoke billowing out of windows into the dark sky and coughed, again. “I wonder how it started…”

“Fires happen,” Tony told him, shrugging. “Probably someone cooking dinner or something. We’ll get checked at the hospital and then you’ll come home with me until your place is cleared as safe.”

The medic suddenly realized who it was that was sitting on the bumper of the ambulance with her. Her eyes widened.

“I can take you two.”

Stark smiled at her surprise but shook his head.

“I have a car, here. Thank you, though.” A tremor ran through Peter, though, and Tony noticed it, even as the younger man clutched his blanket a little tighter, looking wet and miserable, like a half-drowned rat. “On second thought, it will be a pain in the ass to try and get the car out of the garage and through this mess. We accept.”

><><><><

The emergency room was active; they weren’t the only ones who had been brought from the burning apartment building – and there were all the normal scraps, burns and injuries that a city as large as theirs manufactured every day for the medical personnel to deal with. Because of who he was – and mainly to keep the place from becoming more of a hectic zoo than it already was – the ER nurse they were handed over to put them in a private room, immediately. Out of the eyes of the public.

Tony checked out fine, almost immediately.

Peter, on the other hand, was still coughing an hour later when Ria arrived, storming through the ER with the same single-minded purposefulness that she approached everything with. She was ushered into the small room as soon as she was introduced, and went straight to Peter, who was sitting up on an exam table, without a shirt, but with a couple of warmed blankets over his shoulders.

“Are you alright?” she asked, brushing her hand along his cheek.

He coughed, lightly, but nodded.

“Yeah. Just some smoke inhalation, they say.”

“And a chill from being soaked by the sprinkler system,” Tony added, reaching over and tugging the blankets closer to the scrawny frame. “Keep covered.”

“I’m _fine_ ,” Peter assured her, not missing the concern in her expression. “It wasn’t _my_ apartment that caught on fire.”

“He pulled a couple of little kids out,” Tony told her.

“You helped with the woman – _and_ you found them.”

Peter was definitely making sure credit went where it was due.

“Why isn’t _he_ coughing?” Ria asked.

Tony smirked.

“After the terrible things I’ve done to my lungs in my life ? A little smoke isn’t going to do anything. _Peter’s_ , on the other hand, are delicate, healthy, things – and much more susceptible to being irritated.”

She looked at Peter, who shrugged, looking a little chagrined.

“Yeah. Something like that.”

“They’re going to keep us here for another hour, or so, just to make sure he’s breathing right, and then they’ll discharge him.”

“Your place is uninhabitable?”

Peter nodded.

“Everything’s soaked from the sprinklers. They did the job, though; the fire didn’t spread too far – and no one was hurt, too badly.”

“I’ll take him home with me,” Stark told her. “I have a guest room; he can keep me company until they clear his place and we get his things replaced.”

“You’re insured?” she asked Peter.

“Yup.”

He coughed, again, and Tony frowned, looking at her.

“We’ll have to stop and get him some clothes – unless _someone_ wants to go do some shopping and drop said clothing by my place? Or bring them here?”

Ria rolled her eyes, amused, but she was clearly concerned by the cough.

“I’ll go find him something to wear for a few days. Do you need anything else, Peter?”

She didn’t need to ask him his size, or what he liked; she already knew all that.

“No. Thanks, though.”

All the data from their work – and work that he was doing that had nothing to do with the nanotech, but was for other side projects that he had going on were safely backed up – in case his laptops were ruined, although he hadn’t had a chance to really look, of course.

“I’ll drop some things by your building,” Ria said to Tony. “If you aren’t there, yet, I’ll leave it with your concierge.”

“Good enough.”

“Peter? No work for the rest of the week.”

He frowned.

“The rest of the _week_? I’m fine, Ria. I can work.”

“Nope. I want you healthy, and I’m not going to let you do anything to risk that. Tony?”

“I agree.”

The younger man shook his head, and coughed, again.

“I’m good, guys. _Really_.”

“I mean it,” she told him, giving him her best no nonsense look. “You stay in bed, or on the couch or wherever the doctors think that you should be for the rest of the week – and the weekend, too.”

“But-“

“No buts. Do as I say – or I’ll have Tony bring you to my place and I’ll personally sit on you for the next several days.”

She looked like she was tempted to do that, anyway, and Peter scowled, realizing that she probably would if he argued about it, too much. He liked her, but he definitely didn’t want to spend a week being mothered by her. She would enjoy that too much.

“Fine.”

Ria smiled.

“You have him?” she asked Tony.

“Yes. We’ll be here until they say otherwise. Want me to call?”

“Only if something happens. Thank you.” She looked at Peter and ran her fingers through his still damp hair – which was messy. “If you need anything, you call me. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He smiled; despite being annoyed at the work restriction. She was so good to him.

“I like that woman,” Tony said when Ria left.

“You’re just saying that because she helped you gang up on me.”

The billionaire smirked.

“Maybe.” He stepped up to Peter and tucked the blankets more firmly around his bony shoulders, leaning in and pressing his cheek against Peter’s smooth one. “But now I get you all to myself for the next six days.”

“You have to work,” Peter reminded him.

“Or, I could take the time off – to make sure my honey boo-boo is behaving himself.”

“You are _not_ calling me your honey boo-boo,” the boy told him.

“Baby? Darling? Most beautiful person in the world – and the _bravest_?”

Peter blushed at the love he saw in Tony’s eyes when the older man looked at him.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal. Anyone would have done it – _you_ did, and those firefighters weren’t too far behind us.”

“It’s their job to rescue people,” Stark pointed out. “But how did you know that they needed rescued? You were going that direction before FRIDAY told me where they were. _And_ you knew something was up before the fire alarm started going off, didn’t you?”

“Oh. Yeah. I get these feelings, sometimes.”

“Feelings?”

He shrugged, pulling the blankets closer.

“Just a flutter inside, or something… I’m not sure how to describe it. If something’s up, it kinds of lets me know.”

“Really?”

“ _Sometimes_.” Peter shivered, again. “It’s nothing big.”

“Have you always been able to do it?” Tony asked, curiously. “Or is it a by-product of your bite?”

“No. I’m not sure – it isn’t something I was very good at recognizing when I was younger. Before. When we met. I pretty much ignore it, most of the time – even now – but sometimes it’s too annoying and I have to see what’s up. Like tonight.”

“That’s amazing,” the older man said, smiling as he cupped Peter’s cheeks with his palms. “You get more incredible every day, don’t you?”

Peter blushed a scarlet shade of red at that, but with Tony holding his face, he couldn’t move to look away, and he smiled, instead. Before he could say anything, though – or deny it – there was a knock on the door, and it opened just as Tony stepped away. The doctor who had been checking in on Peter, occasionally, walked in with the boy’s chart.

“How do you feel?”

“Better. Thanks.”

“Still cold?”

“A little.”

Of course, he didn’t have a shirt on, so that probably was contributing to things.

“The newest batch of tests are in, and I don’t see anything screaming at me to keep you, so we’re going to discharge you.”

“Thank you.”

“With some conditions,” the man added. He looked at both of them, as if realizing that Tony was going to want to hear them, as well. “Nothing too strenuous the next few days – keep your breathing as steady as you can to avoid stressing your lungs – and no work for the rest of the week. I’ll write an official note for your employer, if needed.”

Peter didn’t even acknowledge the smirk that suddenly appeared on Tony’s face, and he was glad Ria wasn’t there.

“That’s not necessary, thank you. My boss already said she didn’t want me working this week, now.”

“Good.” He looked at Tony. “Keep an eye on him, though, Mr. Stark. Any labored breathing, or if it seems like he’s having any difficulty catching his breath, bring him back, immediately.”

“I will. Thanks.”

The doctor nodded and offered Tony his hand. And then Peter.

“I’ll write up the discharge.”

He left, and Tony beamed.

“See?”

Peter rolled his eyes and pulled the blanket over his head.

“Shut up, Tony,” he grumbled, good-naturedly. “No one likes a know-it-all.”


	24. 24

“You know… I could just get a hotel room.”

Tony frowned, looking over at Peter as they pulled up to the front of the billionaire’s upscale apartment building. In an Uber, since his car was still at Peter’s place.

“Why would you do that?” he asked, opening the door and handing a tip over to the driver with a nod of thanks.

“This thing we have…” Peter said. “It’s still pretty new. What if me staying with you screws it up? Maybe we shouldn’t spend all our time together, just yet.”

“We spent all _weekend_ together,” Tony pointed out. “That went well. Didn’t it?”

_He_ thought it had.

“Yeah. Of course.” Peter coughed, muffling it with the crook of his elbow. “I just don’t want you to get tired of having me around – and you already see me every day in the workroom.”

“I’m not too worried about that,” Tony told him. “But if it becomes an issue, we’ll tell each other – _without_ malice – and spend some time doing something separate.”

The concierge waved at him as they walked into the lobby and Tony and Peter walked over. The man handed him a backpack.

“This was left for you.”

“Thank you.”

Tony slung it over his shoulder and they headed for the elevator that went to the penthouse.

“Ria’s pretty quick,” Peter said, assuming – correctly – that the pack held some clothing for him. He was glad, too, since he only had the clothing that he’d worn when they’d left his apartment, and it all smelled like smoke. “I need a shower and a change of clothes.”

“So do I.”

They walked into the apartment and Tony led Peter to the guest room, tossing the backpack lightly on the bed.

“I’m not going to presume that you’re going to be sleeping in _my_ bed every night,” he told the younger man. “So _this_ is your room – for as long as you’re here.”

Peter coughed, again, annoyed by the way the irritation in his throat was lingering. The doctor had prescribed throat spray and lozenges – and had told him to drink a lot of fluids. He’d also reminded him not to be active.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m not _welcome_ in your bed, does it?”

Tony smiled at that and stepped up, putting his arms around him.

“You’re definitely welcomed – and wanted – in my bed, honey.” He kissed him, tenderly, and Peter closed his eyes to savor the caress of Tony’s lips against his own. “However,” the older man said, pulling back enough to look at him, and run his fingers through Peter’s soft curls. “No really serious bedroom fun until that cough goes away.”

“Yeah.” Peter rested his cheek against Tony’s chest. “Too bad.”

He shivered, then, and Tony hugged him close for just a moment, and released him.

“Go take a long hot shower,” he suggested. “I don’t like that chill you have, either. Or – better yet – soak in the tub for an hour or so and see if that helps. I’ll bring you something to drink.”

“And you’ll wash my back?”

“That could be arranged.”

Peter did as he was told. Not because Tony had _told_ him to do it, necessarily, but because it was a good idea, and he liked the thought of soaking for a while – especially in the giant bathtub in the guestroom bathroom. It had jets, he’d noticed, and that sounded like a win all around, really. Tony left, closing the door behind him, and Peter opened the backpack that Ria had left for him. Two pairs of jeans. A couple pairs of socks. Boxers and a couple of plain t-shirts; one blue and one white. A bag of toiletries, which was thoughtful, and he shook his head when he pulled out the lounge pants that she’d sent over.

“I’ll give you a dollar if you put them on right now and let me take a picture of you in them…” Tony told him, having walked back into the room just as Peter had unrolled the Ironman printed sleepwear. “We can post it on my fan page.”

The young man smiled, shaking his head as he tossed the bright red and gold pants to the side.

“Peter Parker; Ironman’s nerdiest fan.”

“His _sexiest_ fan,” Tony corrected. “Able to look delicious in anything. Or _nothing_.”

Peter smiled at that, taking it as the compliment that Tony had intended it to be.

“Run me a bath?”

The older man smiled, too.

“In the mood to be pampered, honey?”

“A little.”

Maybe a _lot_. He wasn’t feeling that great, after all – and everyone knew that a sick male was a miserable male.

Tony handed him the bottle of water that he’d brought and kissed him; a lingering kiss that made them both slightly breathless. He pulled back before Peter could.

“Get undressed and I’ll start your bath for you.”

“And you’ll find me something _else_ to wear to bed?”

“I think you’d look great in them.”

“ _Tony_ …”

“Fine. I’ll find you something else to wear. As long as you agree that you’re sleeping in my bed, tonight, at least.”

“Yes.”

Peter had planned to, anyway.

The billionaire disappeared into the bathroom and Peter started taking off his smoky clothing, tossing them into the hamper. He heard the water start running in the tub, and then felt Tony’s arms come around him from behind.

“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” Stark asked him, running his hands down Peter’s body. “How much I want you?”

Peter leaned back into his embrace, shivering, now, and not because of the dousing that they’d taken from the sprinkler system.

“You can tell me any time you want.”

The moment was ruined with another cough that Peter couldn’t suppress, and Tony kissed his shoulder with a wry chuckle.

“That one is my fault,” he said, letting him go – but not before running his palm along Peter’s rear, momentarily. “Go get in the tub, honey. I’ll come wash your back in a bit.”

“Thanks, Tony.”

<><><><><>

He was lightly dozing in the hot bath by the time Tony joined him. The older man’s hair was already wet, and he smelled of body wash and aftershave, which told Peter that he’d already washed the stink of the apartment fire off in a shower before coming into the tub. Peter opened his eyes when Tony walked into the room, naked and wonderfully handsome. He sat up and Tony slid easily behind him, then drew Peter back against him, the younger man leaning against his chest and belly and closing his eyes, again, when Tony’s arms went around him.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m fine,” Peter assured him. “You guys are coddling me for no reason.”

“We’re not _coddling_ you,” he said. “We’re watching out for you.”

“Too bad you didn’t have a suit this afternoon,” Peter said, bringing his hand up to cover Tony’s where it was resting on his stomach. “With the Ironman suit, it would have been pretty easy to get everyone out.”

“They’re portable, but not _that_ portable,” Tony told him. “But, yes. All the more reason to get the nanotech up and running.”

“It’d be impressive with the added accessories of having FRIDAY and all the rest of your other gadgets in it.”

“You think so?”

“You don’t?”

“I _do_. It’s definitely something I’ve wanted to try. I just didn’t have the tech as advanced as you and Ria did.”

“You have a lot of other things that you’re working on, though,” Peter reminded him. “We’ve been working exclusively on this for over two years, now.”

“It _shows_.” Tony was silent for a moment, running his hand absently along Peter’s chest and stomach, but not going under the water to caress him, intimately. “You were _amazing_ , today,” he said – again. “If I would be impressive in an Ironman suit, imagine what you could accomplish if you had a nanotech suit. With your natural abilities, you’d be a serious force to reckon with.”

Peter shook his head. He didn’t even tense, to his credit. The conversation wasn’t bringing back as much hurt and frustration as it once would have, now that he’d reconciled with Tony, and was wrapped in his arms, silently being told that the older man was being serious.

“I’m not a superhero, Tony. We both know that.”

“No. You’re _definitely_ wrong about that, honey. And I was wrong, too, all those years ago. You proved that today, really. Everyone was running away, and you ran right at the fire. At the people who needed you.”

“Because _you_ did.”

“I was following _you_ , Peter.” He kissed his ear from behind. “You didn’t have a suit. You didn’t even have any protective gear, like the firefighters did. But you knew where you were needed, and you went. God, you were so amazing. I was so proud of you.”

“I just wanted to help.”

“I know.”

They were silent for a long moment, both of them thinking of the events of the day. Both enjoying the company of the other. Enjoying a relationship that was so much different than the one that they’d first shared. A relationship of equals. Where Tony would never dream of telling Peter to shut up and let him speak because he was the grown up and Peter wasn’t. A relationship where Peter had already proven that his mind was just as agile when it came to the tech they were working on – and could match the billionaire in other fields of study as well, almost certainly. Certainly a relationship where they were both mature enough to understand and attempt to meet the needs of the other – and even put the other first.

At least sometimes.

Tony was idly running his fingers along Peter’s stomach, now.

“It wouldn’t take that much to build _two_ suits…” he said, softly. “One in gold and red and one in blue and red. Or pink and periwinkle, if you wanted.”

Peter chuckled.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe. Not _pink_ , though. And I’m not even sure what _periwinkle_ is.”

“It’s a blueish-purple. I’ll have FRIDAY show you, later, if you’re interested.”

Peter took Tony’s hand, and guided it lower – under the water.

“I’ll think about it,” he repeated. “But not tonight.”

“No seducing me, Peter Parker,” the older man scolded, even as he found Peter’s cock and began to lightly caress him. “Doctor’s orders.”

“I know.” He sighed at the touch, though, and settled against Tony, relaxing as he’d never dreamed of being able to relax, again. “We can still play a little, though, can’t we?”

“If you insist.”

“Oh, I _do_.”

Now it was Tony who chuckled, and his lips went to the junction of Peter’s neck and shoulder, kissing him and nibbling, lightly.

“I’d be remiss in my duties as host if I didn’t make sure you were happy, right?”

“Absolutely.”


	25. Epilogue

“Well?”

“It feels good. Yours?”

“Perfect. FRIDAY is advising all systems are at optimal performance.”

“Yeah. Karen’s in agreement.” Peter deactivated the mask portion of his new nanotech suit and grinned at the older man, unable to hide his excitement. A full year of research, development and testing had led up to this day. They’d both been busy with the other projects, of course; the ones that had made Ria an almost overnight billionaire and had made Stark Industries stocks skyrocket – which, of course, had made Tony even richer. This was their baby, though, and once the nanotech had been streamlined for commercial purposes, Tony and Peter had turned their collective genius to making suits worthy of saving the world. Or, at least Queens, in Peter’s case. “Ready to give it a try?”

“Nothing too crazy, though, honey…” Tony cautioned. They’d had plenty of practical tests, and true, Tony’s new Ironman suit had a lot more systems (weapons, tactical and armoring that Peter didn’t need as much of in his role as Spiderman) but even Peter’s suit was a technical marvel. Tony had made sure of it, pointing out that he wasn’t going to trust his lover in anything but the best. “We’ll make a quick trip from one end of the borough to the other and stop for analysis. Yeah?”

Peter nodded, deferring to him since it was easier than arguing. He wasn’t worried, though. They’d spent a lot of time making sure everything was perfect, and he trusted Tony’s genius even if he hadn’t trusted his own. It wasn’t the first suit the older man had made, after all. Just the most advanced – and really, the coolest.

“Unless someone wants a picture…”

Tony rolled his eyes good-naturedly at that.

This wasn’t going to be the first appearance of Spiderman in almost six years, after all. After a long talk with Peter, and then a few shorter ones the two of them had with a few of the avengers, Tony had created a suit for Peter that was similar – but not exactly – to the one that he’d made and eventually taken away. After coming out to Ria, and also Pepper, Spiderman had made a resurgence almost five months after Peter and Tony had reconciled.

It was a lot different, this time, however. Not only was Peter far more confident and assured of his abilities, but they had decided that there wasn’t any point in keeping Peter’s identity a secret. He made a few appearances, just to tell the city that he was back, and then there had been a press conference at the tower, where Tony had introduced the world to Peter Parker – also known as Spiderman.

He _didn’t_ mention that Peter had never moved out of Tony’s guestroom – although he rarely slept anywhere but in Tony’s bed – and they didn’t mention that Tony had quietly (for him) proposed to Peter two days before and had been told yes. They’d simply been told that Peter was Spiderman and was joining his abilities to those of the Avengers. No mention that Spiderman didn’t go on a lot of missions with the Avengers – although he was always there when they left and was always waiting when they returned.

The public soon learned that Spiderman wasn’t your typical superhero. Unlike most of the avengers, Spiderman spent a lot of time interacting with the people he was trying t protect. He could be seen sometimes during the day in his familiar blue and red outfit, swinging his way along the high-rise buildings or low on the streets. If he wasn’t on his way somewhere important, and someone pointed or waved at him, he’d stop and chat with them – sometimes taking the mask off, and sometimes leaving it on. He was always willing to take a picture, or sign autographs for his fans – and was always fielding questions about Ironman, who sometimes would appear over his shoulder, but rarely came down for a landing, leaving the mingling up to Peter, while he preferred to appear at big and flashy events, instead.

They were two completely different people, and wildly different personas when it came to being superheroes, but they were incredibly compatible, it turned out, and both were happy with their relationship and how well they worked together.

Point in case was that the two new nanotech suits were finished. They had worked on them for months, and then, when it had been time for initial testing both of the suits (and Tony and _Peter_ , of course) had spent a few weeks at the Avengers compound where they could finalize any glitches or bugs away from the public eye.

It also gave the others a chance to see what the new technology was going to do so they would have a better idea of how to integrate Ironman’s new suit and abilities into their missions.

They were ready, now, though, for the new suits to be seen in public for the first time. Tony had flown to the rooftop they were now standing on, while Peter had swung his way in, the suit so much more amazing because it was light enough and flexible enough that he could do a lot of things that Ironman couldn’t, and still managed to have the same protective armor that Tony did. The older man had insisted, even though Peter pointed out that, as a part time superhero like he intended to be, he didn’t really need to have anything quite so grandiose.

“Better to have you in the best we can create,” Tony had said, firmly, “than for something to happen to make me deal with an inundation of should have and could haves.”

Peter had rolled his eyes and shrugged, but Tony hadn’t budged, so the spider suit had been designed with armament that rivaled the Ironman creation. The only real difference – aside from the lack of armaments on Peter’s was that Tony’s suit was his traditional gold and red and Peter’s had ended up being red and blue with black trim.

And, of course, Peter’s came with web spinners.

“Someone _always_ wants a picture, honey,” Tony told Peter, looking over the edge of the building. It was broad daylight, and the streets were busy, despite it being Saturday afternoon. Or maybe _because_ of it. “Everything takes hours longer than it normally would because you’re too indulgent.”

Peter looked over the edge, as well, sidling right up to Tony’s side to run a gauntleted hand along his armored hip.

“We can’t all be aloof, baby. Someone has to be there to relate to the common man.”

Tony snorted, his handsome face suddenly appearing as the nanotech protecting his own head retracted.

“You’re anything but _common_. You know that.”

He _should_ ; Tony told him that all the time.

Peter’s smile was warm and loving.

“You always say the nicest things. Don’t forget; we’re picking Ria up from the airport at seven.”

Which made Tony grumble good-naturedly.

“She’s _rich_ , now,” he muttered. “Tell me why I have to play chauffeur?”

“Because it’s a power trip for her to have _Tony Stark_ holding a cardboard sign in the airport with her name on it.”

“I’m _not_ holding a cardboard sign with her name on it…”

“We could put ‘ _welcome back from jail’_ , or something equally embarrassing. ‘ _Welcome home, baby momma’?_ Borrow or rent the use of a dozen little kids from a preschool, somewhere, and have them run up to her screaming, excitedly and calling her mommy?”

Tony’s eyes lit up.

“Oh, _that’s_ good.” He smirked before he reactivated the helmet of the suit. “You’re a devious young man, Peter Stark.”

Peter smiled, and activated his own suit mask, enjoying the thrill of excitement at how smooth the tech worked, and watching his systems coming back online as it did. Not to mention being called Peter Stark. It was still new enough that he would sometimes have to stop himself from looking over his shoulder to make sure it wasn’t someone else.

“Just remember,” he said, tensing as he prepared for that all important first leap, and looking for his first target for his web. “She isn’t above a little payback…”

Tony shot into the sky, riding the powerful thrusters of the suit a hundred feet into the air, and hovering.

“It’d be worth it. Hurry up, Spiderman,” he said – and even through the communications system, Peter could hear the love and wonder in Tony’s voice. “The public is waiting for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this! I hope it didn't get boring for anyone  
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